Anything For You
by MacSas
Summary: A love triangle that leads to romance? Bo has been burned by a con artist woman who wants him as a Daddy to her baby. His best friends sister gets caught up in a bad relationship too. Will Bo be able to convince her that love can save the day?
1. Chapter 1

ANYTHING FOR YOU

**A FANFIC STORY BY MacSas**

_**What Trish wants, Trish gets. **_

_**And she will do **__**anything**__** to get Bo!**_

"I don't believe it"

Jesse Duke sat at the kitchen table with a stunned expression. Before him sat his blonde haired younger nephew, Bo.

Jesse had never dreamed that anything bad would ever befall any of his charges, yet he'd watched over all of them with an eagle eye.

Luke, the oldest and most dependable. Daisy, the middle child and only girl. And Bo, the youngest and most impulsive.

Bo had been the one that Jesse had worried most about. Trouble stuck to the youngster like Teflon to a pan.

Now his fears were being realised.

He gazed at the young man nervously pacing before him.

"Bo" he started. With words failing him, he finally just shook his head.

"I'm so sorry, Uncle Jesse" Bo stressed. "You know I'd never do anything to hurt you or bring shame on the family" He shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "I just don't know how it happened"

Jesse snorted with laughter.

"How it happened seems obvious"

Bo shook his head. "You know what I mean. I was being so careful, I _swear_. I just … I don't know"

Bo sighed and sat down.

Jesse looked at him, his heart aching for the young man.

"Well, what do you want to do?"

Bo lowered his head to the table. "I have no idea. I know what I should do, what the right thing to do is. But I don't know if I can do it"

He looked up at his Uncle, defeat in his large blue eyes. "Know what I mean?"

Jesse nodded. "Yep, I do"

A few minutes of silence passed between the two.

Jesse had no idea what to tell his nephew. But he did know that Bo would ultimately do the right thing. No matter what the cost. That was what he had taught all three cousins. You could never be truly wrong by doing what was right. It may be unpopular, it may be hard, it may even cause heartache, but it was the only way to go.

Jesse sighed.

This would mean that Bo would have to grow up very quickly. His childhood was behind him, but the young man had a lot to learn about maturity. Jesse wondered if, even at 18, Bo would be ready to stand up and finally act with the same sense his older cousins had.

"Bo" he announced. "We have to deal with this the right way"

Bo lifted his head again and looked at his Uncle.

"Your going to have to face up to your responsibilities and take care of them"

Bo didn't answer, just looked at Jesse with teary eyes.

"Don't worry, son" Jesse assured him. "We'll be behind you. _I'll _be behind you"

The old man got to his feet and walked to his youngest nephew. Squeezing Bo's shoulder, he told him, "No matter what happens, your family will support you"

"Did you find out what's going on with him?" Luke Duke asked his Uncle later that night.

"Yep" Jesse murmured.

Luke waited.

"Well?" he asked when there was no forthcoming answer.

"That's Bo's story to tell, Luke" Jesse said simply.

"Oh, come on" Luke sighed in exasperation. "Have a little sympathy for me, Jesse. I've gotta share a _room_ with the cowpoke"

Jesse hid his smile behind the paper he was reading. He was proud of how close the three cousins were, but that closeness meant that, at times, they would forget that personal privacy was also allowed. They believed it was their right to know each other's business, regardless of how the one whose privacy was being invaded felt. Jesse often reminded them of the barriers, but didn't fuss at them too much. How could he? What they did was all in the name of family.

The older man looked at his dark haired nephew. Slumped on the couch in mock defeat, he sure made a handsome picture. Many girls had tried to tie Luke down, but he had always seemed more interested in his career with the Marines. After two tours of duty in Vietnam, Luke had come home, resigned from the Marines and was now working on his law degree. His leaving the Marines had shocked many people, but Jesse had always suspected that Luke had seen and endured things in Vietnam that he simply wanted to forget. He never spoke of his time over there. After years of trying to coax information out of him, Jesse had stopped asking.

"You can ask Bo yourself when he gets home," Jesse now told Luke.

Luke gave a disgusted snort as he got to his feet, coffee cup in hand.

"Sure. He'll tell me _all_ about it"

A few moments later, he entered the room again, put a fresh mug of coffee in front of Jesse, and then flopped back on the couch again with his own cup.

"Where's he gone, anyways?" he asked as he put his feet up on the ottoman in front of the couch.

Jesse took a sip of the hot coffee and waited a beat before answering.

"To take responsibility"

****************************************************************************************


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

Bo parked the car outside the imposing Georgian-style home. Mansion, more like it, he thought shutting off the engine. Next to Boss Hoggs home, this white panelled black trimmed abode was the richest place in the county. Oh course, no one's home could be bigger or better than the County Commissioner's. There was an unspoken rule about that. It was also no accident that the only paved road outside of the Town Centre, lead right to Boss' house.

Bo fingered the small package resting on his lap. He had taken great care to wrap it just right. He didn't know how to tie bows and make things look pretty the way girls liked them. He could have asked Daisy for help, but that would have ensured questions he was not yet ready to answer.

So he had not only picked the gift by himself, he'd also selected just the right paper and bow to wrap and adorn it. He'd then waited until Luke was busy with his chores before he'd prepared his gift. Now all he had to do was deliver it.

'Oh gosh' he thought, swallowing past a lump in his throat. 'I can't do this'

He looked again at the imposing house. All he had to do was go to the door, ring the bell, and …

'No' he thought, putting the package aside. 'I can't do it'

Just as he was about to start the engine, the porch light cam on, illuminating the huge double front doors. A figure stood in the doorway, waiting.

Bo sighed. He couldn't leave now.

Tossing up a silent prayer he picked up the package, and made his way to the front door.

Trish Stevenson stood at the door of her parent's home and watched the approach of Bo Duke.

She had wanted him to notice her for nearly 3 years. She had even ensured that she'd been in all his classes during their last year of school together. Now she had his attention, and she couldn't believe how lucky she'd been.

It had been so simple. One little party, a little something in his drink, and a little help from a friend to stage a supposed post seduction scene. The end result being that Bo's attention was now all hers. After all, why would he suspect that he'd been set up?

Watching his approach, she was reminded of a man she'd seen on TV walking to his sentence. Bo had the same air about his movements.

She didn't care how she'd had to get him, she had him. Finally!

She smiled in greeting.

"Hello, Bo"

Bo smiled back.

He wanted to walk away, but he kept hearing Jesse's voice in his head. Responsibility – he had to take it.

He took a deep breath. "Hi, Trish"

She drank in the sight of him. For years she had waited, dreamt of this. She felt tingles of excitement go through her. It had been so easy! She had the mighty Bo Duke eating, albeit reluctantly, from her hand.

"Uh" Bo shuffled his feet a little, rubbed the back of his neck.

He looked at the smile Trish was giving him. He sighed inwardly. She just wasn't his type. How had that party gotten him into so much trouble?

He wished he had Luke standing beside him. He'd know exactly what to say. But Luke seemed to have his own post Vietnam dramas happening. And Daisy, bless her, would lecture him about looking at it from 'the poor girls point of view'

Well, here he was. Looking at it from Trish's point of view. And he didn't like what he saw.

As he went to wipe his sweaty palm on the leg of his jeans, he remembered the small box in his hand.

"This is for you" he thrust it at her.

Surprised, she took it.

'How romantic' she thought, rolling her eyes.

As she opened the box, she felt her heart sink. It wasn't the ring she'd thought it would be. Instead it was a delicate teddy bear with a hopeful blue ribbon around its neck and a big cherry smile on its face.

She plastered the smile back on her face and asked Bo, "What's this?"

"I'm taking responsibility," he answered matter-of-factly.

It wasn't the ring that Trish believed would bind her to Bo for the rest of their lives, but it was just as good.

He was willing to play Daddy, which meant having to spend more time with her. Eventually, she would make him fall in love with her.

After all, what Trish Stevenson wanted, she got. And right now, Trish wanted Bo Duke to be the father of her baby.

****************************************************************************************


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

"So, you've finally been through all the girls in the county"

Bo looked up as the late sun cast the shadow of Daisy over the tractor he was tinkering on.

He loved to tinker on the old machine, it helped him to think. And he had a lot of thinking to do.

Tinkering also kept him out of the house, and helped him to avoid the speculative glances from his older cousins. He knew Luke and Daisy were keenly interested in what was going on. This was something that he had to get sense of in his head first, before he told them the truth. He figured that if he could sound out what he was going to tell them in his head first, it would make the actual event less of a trial. He loathed questions he couldn't answer; his nature was one of constant curiosity. He had to be prepared for whatever questions his cousins came up with. He didn't want to appear like an ignorant youth. This was too big to not be handled seriously. He smiled to himself. Bo Duke was about to become a respectable man. Who would have thought it?

He smiled up at Daisy. She didn't seem too responsive.

"Miss Tizdale said you received a certain package and that you were giving this certain package to Trish Stevenson"

So much for catalogue shopping to avoid gossip.

Bo wiped his hands on a rag to buy some time.

"Miss Tizdale" he laughed. "You know how she loves to gossip about things that don't always happen"

It was true. Miss Tizdale was the county's postmistress. The woman was a genius when it came to anything with a stamp, straight down the line protocol. She even made Bo take a number and show ID, though she'd known him since he was in diapers. Nothing escaped her – except for when it came to the facts about the gossip she was sharing. She meant no harm, and no one ever really begrudged her a little grapevine whispering. On this occasion, Bo wished he had sworn the old dear to secrecy. For all her gossip loving, Miss Tizdale knew the value of a secret.

Now all he could do was hope that he could steer Daisy and her sharp mind away from the truth.

"Bo, this isn't just gossip. Miss Tizdale says that you are thinking of asking Trish to marry you!"

Bo dropped the spanner he'd just picked up. It cluttered to the ground with a loud thud, and was met by silence.

"What's going on?" Daisy pressed.

Bo sighed. A person couldn't hide much from Daisy. The crime-solving bug had bitten her during a visit to Atlanta. It started out with her witnessing a mugging, and ended up with her actually catching the crook herself. She had been dabbling in detective work ever since. She was friends with a couple of crime scene investigators in the Atlanta area, and helped them with some smaller cases. Luke had made comment that Daisy should take it up as a career. It was something that Daisy would probably end up doing.

Maybe it was time to sit his cousins down and tell them the truth. After all, Miss Tizdale's gossip would be halfway round the county by now. It wouldn't be long before Daisy figured out the truth. It was too late to stop this fire from getting out of control.

"You better go find Luke," he told Daisy. "Meet me in the lounge in 15 minutes"

He closed the cover of the tractors engine.

"Bo"

"It's okay, Daisy" he said, with a resigned look towards the farmhouse. "I'll tell you all about it when I get inside"

With that, he walked off to get cleaned up.

Time to take responsibility.

* * *

"That's what he said?"

"That's exactly what he said" Daisy nodded her affirmation to Luke's question.

It hadn't taken her long to find her older cousin. He'd been on the other side of the farmhouse, working on a stock car he and Bo had bought recently. The shell didn't look much at the moment, but the boys had high hopes for the one neglected Dodge Charger. In honour of Uncle Jesses famed ridge runner, Black Tilly, the boys were thinking of completing the Chargers look with a coat of black paint. A rebel flag on the hood would allow all to see they were coming; that had been Bo's idea. Daisy thought the flag would look better against a coat of orange, and was still trying to convince the boys she was right. What did guys know about colour anyway?

Luke rolled out from underneath the car. He gazed up at Daisy and smiled at the thought of the interrogation she would have made their wayward cousin endure. Thank goodness she didn't work for the KGB!

"Do you know if the gossip about him and Trish is true?"

"Gawd, I hope not" Daisy huffed. "She's had a bee in her bonnet about Bo for nearly 3 years now. She'd do anything to get him, even if it meant planting the marriage proposal gossip in Miss Tizdales head"

When Luke went to argue, Daisy cut him off.

"Come on Luke. You know that what Trish wants, Trish gets. And if her Daddy can't buy it for her, it's either not worth having, or it already belongs to Boss Hogg"

"Take it easy, kid" Luke smiled, giving Daisy a side hug. "Your getting all worked up over nothing"

Daisy gave a sigh as Luke finished wiping his hands on an old rag.

"Look" he told her. "We have no idea what Bo is about to tell us. Let's just see what the facts are before we start worrying about what may or may not be"

He cuffed Daisy under the chin, the way he'd done so many times through their childhood.

"Okay?"

"Okay" she agreed.

* * *

From the lounge window, Jesse watched the scene in the yard play out.

He knew both Luke and Daisy were full of questions, and he knew the two were prone to impatience where Bo was concerned. Bo had been the butt of many of their jokes. He came across as a lighthearted, maybe a little light headed; country boy who assumed his dazzling smile could make anything right.

Bo tended to leap before he looked, and Luke had spent more time than Jesse cared to count pulling his younger cousin out of jams.

Daisy had had her share of fun at Bo's expense too. When it came to matters of the heart, she was no expert, but she insisted on torturing Bo with her "Aunt Agony" advice; whether he wanted it or not. In fact, there was only one time Jesse could recall Bo actually asking Daisy for advice. He smiled at the memory as he watched the approach of Luke and Daisy.

Bo had been 6 or 7 and had wanted to impress a certain girl. Daisy, in all her wisdom, had told him to act older and untouchable. Girls always wanted what was out of reach; Jesse recalled her quoting from some magazine she'd been reading.

Bo had taken the advice at face value, worn a tatty old tie to school over his t-shirt, and proceeded to walk around all day with his handsome nose in the air. Needless to say, Bo was furious with Daisy by the time he got home. Not only had the girl not been impressed, he'd been the laughing stock of the school.

Jesse chuckled out loud at the memory of the young boy giving Daisy a piece of his mind, and her advising him to 'make sure it was a small piece'

Daisy hadn't learnt from the experience, she still took an active interest in the love lives of both her cousins. It was hard for her to be as free as they about matters of the heart. When she fell, she fell hard; which was why the boys never retaliated with the teasing.

She had yet to learn to be a little pickier in her choices of men, and there had been times when Luke had had to scare a suitor or two off. Jesse knew most folk expected her and Enos to eventually settle down, but the old man wasn't so sure that Enos was the right man for his girl. Jesse saw her with a much stronger man, someone who could put his foot down from time to time. Growing up around male's, Daisy had the kind of strength of character and fearlessness that most girls her age didn't. That tended to scare men off. Well, Jesse smiled, that and the fact that her very protective older cousin was a former Vietnam veteran, and a Marine.

Jesse watched as the two cousins stepped onto the porch. The obvious affection between them showed in the easy way they laughed with each other.

As Jesse made his way to the small kitchen to start a fresh brew of coffee, he hoped his family could pull through what Bo was about to tell them.

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

The smell of fresh coffee greeted Bo as he entered the family kitchen.

The murmur of conversation stopped as he entered the room. Two sets of eyes followed his progress from the door to the coffee pot. He could feel their eyes on him as he took his time filling his mug.

Glancing out the small kitchen window as he stirred his drink, he wondered where life would take him now. He couldn't imagine himself married, let alone to a high society, high maintenance girl like Trish. Yet, it seemed to be the only thing to do. And he could blame no one but himself.

In the next room some one, Daisy probably, cleared their throat, bringing his thoughts back to the present.

Taking a deep breath, he turned and slowly made his way to the lounge room

* * *

Daisy and Luke sat side by side on the couch. Their eyes never left their younger cousin. Jesse sat in his favourite chair, looking as relaxed as he could. He knew what was coming and had had time to process it in his head. He knew that Daisy and Luke had all kinds of scenarios going through their minds as to what Bo's latest trouble would be, but he knew that neither of them would be even close to guessing the truth.

Bo had a reputation for doing things most people considered rash. Yet those same people wouldn't hesitate in citing 'best intentions' as the main reason for those moments. An outsider might consider Bo a simple-minded country boy whose worst fear was maturity. Yet Jesse knew a lot of that outer appearance was just an attempt to cover up what was lurking below the surface.

Bo had been just a few months old when his parents, along with those of his older cousins, had been killed in an accident. Daisy and Luke had been old enough to know their parents and remembered them well. While, like Bo, Daisy had been an only child, Luke had lost a younger brother just a few months before his parents had died. Because Bo had no memory of his parents, he often felt a little awkward when his cousins reminisced about their early childhoods. Luke had taken Bo under his wing and treated him more like a brother than a cousin. And while Daisy may have bemoaned not having another girl in the house, she had a close relationship with both her cousins.

Interestingly, her relationship with Luke was vastly different to her one with Bo. With Bo she was a mother hen, with Luke she was more an equal.

Jesse turned his attention to Bo as the younger man took a position in front of the fireplace. The mantle above the fireplace held memorabilia of 4 generations of Duke.

Now, it seemed, there was to be another.

* * *

"Well," Bo said.

He glanced at his cousins, and then looked towards Jesse. Receiving a nod from the older man, Bo turned towards the couch again.

Words failed him. He'd had it all planned out in his mind; he'd known exactly what he would say. He'd even come up with answers to questions that he thought his cousins would most likely ask. Of course, it had been easier when it had been just him alone in the barn with his thoughts. Now he was face to face with the people he loved most in the world, and he was drawing a blank.

Luke moved in his seat. Daisy clasped, and then unclasped her hands. Bo wanted to turn and run, something he never thought he would ever think about doing. He was a lot of things, but a coward was not one of them.

He rubbed his palms together as if trying to ward off the chill that had settled over him.

Luke finally blurted an impatient, "Bo…"

"Okay" Bo ran his fingers through his hair and huffed out a breath.

"I guess I should start at the beginning"

When no one made comment, Bo shrugged his shoulders.

"Ah, a few months ago I was invited to a party by my friend Matthew Cena. His sister Skye was there, as well as Trish Stevenson. Things went well, we all had fun. Trish spent most of the night talking to me, I don't even recall half the conversation, but Skye gave me a bit of reprieve by asking me to dance. When I sat back down, Trish was gone…"

Bo trailed off, trying to gather his thoughts on the night.

"Well, Matt, myself and some of the other guys decided to shoot some hoops. I remember looking back towards the house and seeing Trish watching us from the window. She had this look on her face, like she knew something I didn't…uh…"

Bo glanced at Jesse.

"Go on" he encouraged.

Bo puffed a breath again.

"I went back into the house and Trish bought me a drink. I sat and talked with Skye for a while, before Trish kind of muscled in on our conversation. A while later Skye decided to head for home. Matt had already left, so I told her I'd take her home. When we got outside, we discovered that my car had a flat tire. Skye laughed and said we could walk since it was a nice night, so that's what we did. A while down the road, a car pulled up beside us. It was Trish, and she was kind enough to offer us a ride. We dropped Skye off then headed for the farm…and then nothing"

Daisy and Luke both frowned.

"What?" Luke asked.

"I don't remember what happened between heading for the farm and waking up the next morning"

Daisy snorted a laugh. "Probably had a little more to drink than you thought. Well, at least you got home safely"

"That's just it Daisy" Bo said sombrely. "I didn't make it back here. I woke up in a strange bed … with Trish beside me"

Daisy's eyebrows shot up. Luke's jaw dropped.

"What!"

"Please tell me you did not sleep with that girl!"

Both talked at the same time. Bo held his hand up announcing simply, "I told you I don't remember. To tell the truth, I didn't think much more about it. I got dressed, I came home, and I went about my usual day. Well, a few days ago Trish called and said she had to see me. I thought she wanted to explain about that night. I was wrong."

Bo fell silent.

Daisy finally spoke. "How wrong?"

Bo looked up at the ceiling before focusing his gaze on his cousins.

"Trish told me she's pregnant"

* * *

Bo couldn't recall how many times he'd heard the saying about hearing a pin drop. He'd never really understood what kind of that would take.

Until now.

Neither Luke nor Daisy spoke, moved or even blinked. He wasn't even sure if they were still breathing.

Jesse remained quiet in the corner, leaving the floor to Bo.

When his cousin's silence started to become uncomfortable, Bo broke the silence.

"Did you hear what I said?"

Well, he thought, that had to be about the dumbest thing he'd said, and he'd had plenty of moments!

"Did we hear what you said?" Daisy asked, astounded. "Did we _hear_?"

"Calm down" Luke put his hand on Daisy's shoulder. It was typically Luke who stepped back and looked at the situation before loosing his cool.

"You have got to be kidding" Daisy turned to Luke. "You _know_ what Trish Stevenson is like. The whole county knows what she's like"

She turned back to Bo. "How can she be sure it's your baby?"

"Daisy" Luke scolded.

"Hey" Bo said at the same time, affronted by Daisy's out burst. "Trish may not be the saint that you are, but she is carrying my child. Have a little respect"

"I don't believe it" Daisy stood up. "You have just accepted that this child is yours? What if it's not?"

Bo frowned; protective feelings towards Trish and his child came to the surface. "I believe it is, and I'm willing to do my duty"

Daisy laughed. "Your _duty_! Bo, this is your _life_ you're talking about sacrificing for a girl who could care less about anyone else!"

Bo had a ready reply but was halted by Jesse.

"That's enough," he said quietly.

"Bo has decided what path he wants to take. Until someone proves otherwise, he is the baby's daddy. Rather than jumping on him, you ought to be supporting him."

"But Jesse…"

"Daisy" Jesse said dimply. "I think you need to hear the rest of what Bo has to say before you say anything else"

"There's more?" Luke joked.

"Well" Bo stated. "I'm thinking of marrying Trish so our child has two parents"

Daisy was so dumbfounded she couldn't even form a sentence. Instead she threw her hands in the air and left the room.

"Daisy" Bo called, hating to see her so upset.

"Let her go" Luke said getting to his feet.

He rested his hands on his hips, keeping his gaze on the door Daisy had just left through. He finally sighed and shook his head.

"I sure hope you know what your doing, Bo" he said, before he, too, left the room.

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

"Well, what do we do now?"

"I have no idea"

Trish turned on her side and looked into Bo's eyes.

It had been nearly a month since Bo had told his family about the baby. Every afternoon he and Trish had met in this meadow and discussed what to do.

Today, they had prepared a picnic lunch and eaten near the quietness of the stream. Following lunch, they had lain in the grass and watched the clouds roll by, talking about their hopes for the future.

Bo had never known that Trish could be so ordinary. For a rich girl she sure knew how to enjoy simplicities of life.

Trish sighed and put her head back on Bo's chest.

As she toyed with a button on his shirt, she asked, "What if we got married?"

She felt, rather than heard, the rumble of his laughter deep within his chest.

"Are you kidding?" he smiled down at her. "Your folks would rather see me dead than married to their precious daughter"

Trish sighed again, knowing that much was true.

"Well, what if we worked at winning them over?"

Bo turned on his side and took Trish in his arms.

"I suppose we could try it – but you know it's unlikely they'll ever accept me. We're from different world's"

Trish kissed his cheek. "I'm having your baby, that has to count for something"

Bo smiled sadly. "Only to us Trish"

"Well" she replied, snuggling closer to him, "I can't believe how quiet your family is being about us"

Bo frowned. He knew why, but he didn't want to upset Trish. Maybe his family would come around to his point of view, but he didn't hold his breathe in anticipation. Daisy, especially, had been like ice every time Trish's name was mentioned. Trish's parents had refused to even see Bo.

Things were off to a pretty rough start, but Bo was determined they'd get better.

As he held Trish close, he pictured a future with a healthy, happy baby and mutual agreement between both Duke and Stevenson families.

* * *

Later that day, Luke was walking the back acreage of the Duke farm, looking for Daisy. She'd been quiet these past weeks – too quiet. Luke worried about her reaction. He knew Daisy didn't dislike anyone, but she certainly had an intense opposition to Trish. He couldn't help but wonder at that. To him it seemed to go beyond what everyone else knew about Trish. Sure, she had a chequered past, but she was trying to make a go of it with Bo. As far as Luke could tell, this baby may be the making of both youngsters. He'd never seen Bo so attentive and genuinely interested in a girl before. He had read a lot more in the last few weeks than he had during all his years at school. He seemed to be forever lugging home thick medical encyclopaedias about the ins and outs of pregnancy and child rearing. Luke knew that Bo was even looking forward to the birth; and this was the guy that had almost keeled over at the slightest moan from their neighbour Mary Beth when she had unexpectedly gone into labour. Luke shook his head at the memory.

Daisy had avoided talking about the impending birth of Bo's child, but Luke also knew that she hadn't been idling the time away. Against his warnings, she had used certain contacts in the city to investigate Trish and her story of the night of the party. And although he wasn't sure if she had come up with anything, he was sure that she wouldn't rest until she had. She was like a pit-bull with a bone.

So far she had managed to keep her dealings with city detectives a secret from Bo, but it was only a matter of time before things came to a head. Luke was worried that whatever Daisy found, Bo would not appreciate the intrusion and the ensuing fall out would destroy their once firm relationship. As it was, dealings were pretty icy between the two. And Luke had decided it was up to him to smooth the path the two were on before it turned into a collision course.

As Luke wandered to the stream that led to the Duke boundary, he caught sight of Country Boy – Mary Beth's prized horse. Mary Beth now had two youngsters, which left her very little time to exercise her horse. Daisy, having always wanted her own horse but unable to have one on the farm, had jumped at the offer to ride him whenever she wanted. Luke knew Daisy wouldn't be far from the handsome thoroughbred, who quietly stood munching on grass. A few steps further and he caught sight of his beautiful younger cousin, sitting by the stream. From the expression on her face, he could tell she was deep in thought. Had she found out something? Luke had no idea what was going on deep in her mind, but he intended to find out.

* * *

Daisy didn't hear her cousin approaching; she was locked in her thoughts. All morning she had been sitting by the stream wondering what to do.

A few days before, she had run into Matt Hardy's sister, Skye. Matt and Bo had been friends since childhood and there was nobody outside the Duke family that Bo trusted more. Skye had felt the need to tell Daisy some things about Trish that Daisy had no trouble believing. One of those things had to do with the night of the party, and the story Skye had told her had matched a pattern that she had already been informed about by her detective friends. There was a reason why Trish and her parents had moved to an out of the way county where no one had known them, and it had to do with the way Trish had handled the break up of her last relationship. What Skye had told her just confirmed her suspicions about Trish and her pregnancy. And while she was sure of her information, she wasn't sure about how to approach Bo about it. There was no doubt that he would not see this as his cousin wanting the best for him, or that she had done so because she cared about him. No, her hotheaded cousin would think that this was just another demonstration of how she was meddling in his life. She could understand his thinking that way. After all, she had gone out of her way to keep her investigation a secret from Bo. She had use the resources of friends that she could be sure wouldn't run into Bo or have contact with him in any way. She had basically gone behind his back to prove to herself, and everyone else, that Trish was as bad as folks believed she was. And what made Daisy hate the course she had taken was the fact that she herself didn't know Trish at all. She had never spoken to the woman. All she knew about her was second hand information from people that had a grudge against the Stevenson's. However, the information she now held could seal the fate of her relationship with Bo, and it could also mark a major turning point in his life.

What should she do?

If it were anyone other than Bo she would tell him or her without hesitation. However, this was a member of her family, and family was so important to her she was willing to do anything to protect them. Well, she thought ruefully, almost anything.

In the end it came down to a simple question. She may damage her relationship with Bo by revealing what she knew, but could she live with the guilt if she held back and Bo discovered the truth too late?

She had just decided to call Skye and let her know what she had decide when she herd Luke calling to hr.

" Daisy, are you okay?"

She smiled half-heartedly at him.

"Sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

Luke chuckled softly. "Where do I begin?"

He sat beside her and watched the flow of the stream for a moment.

" We need to talk"

" About?"

Luke smiled at her deliberate evasiveness. "About you and Bo and this whole Trish thing"

Ignoring the sigh from his cousin, Luke continued. "I know you're shaken up about it, heck we all are. But what I don't understand is why you're taking it to heart so badly"

Daisy remained silent, keeping her gaze on the stream.

"Daisy" Luke prompted. "We _have_ to talk"

"No we don't, Luke" she said matter of factly.

Luke turned to face her. "This is not worth tearing apart your relationship with Bo"

Once again, Daisy stayed quiet.

"Surely you can see that?"

Frustrated that he seemed to be getting nowhere, Luke got to his feet. In his most military like tone he addressed her.

"I want you to sit down and talk this out with Bo, and I want you to do it today"

As he was walking away, he could have sworn he heard her whisper, "That's just what I plan to do"

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

**

* * *

**

As far as ideas went, this one was up there with the worst of them.  
Matt Hardy couldn't believe he'd let Daisy talk him into this. Bo had been his best friend since childhood; now he was about to put that friendship on the line. And for what? A theory, that's what.  
Matt shook his head. Daisy was sure there was something cagey about Trish's pregnancy. He had thought the same on many occasions, but Daisy had the wild idea that Bo had been deliberately set up to take the fall for another man's child. She also believed that Trish had planned every bit of the set up. Trish wouldn't be the first woman in history to pass off one man's child as another's, and she wouldn't be the last.  
Daisy had decided that Trish must have drugged Bo's drink somehow, and then staged the scene to prove they had slept together. A few months later, she pops up and tells Bo she's pregnant.  
It sounded plausible, but the more Matt thought about it, the less he could see Trish pulling it off; at least not by herself.  
If Daisy's theory - and it was just a theory - was correct, someone else had to have helped Trish, someone else had to know what really happened that night. Matt just didn't see Trish trusting someone well enough to share a secret like this. There weren't that many people she even spoke to in Hazzard. She had burnt a lot of bridges with folks, often treating them as if they were no more than gum stuck to her shoe. If someone had helped her, maybe she had something on him or her. Maybe she had blackmailed that person into helping her.  
Good grief, Matt thought with a grin. Now I'm running away with theories!  
As he sat in a quiet booth in the Boars Nest, he pondered how real Daisy's theory could be and came to the startling conclusion that it could be only too real. Many folks in Hazzard knew that Trish harboured feelings for Bo, and that those feelings weren't returned by the tall blonde. Matt doubted that Bo had even given the high society girl a second thought. He had an eye for the ladies and often flitted from one to another in record time, but he preferred the simple kind. The kind that he could take back to the farm and not have to explain the ins and outs of country living to. His ideal woman would be one that loved country life, and could stand up to his older cousin's inquisitions. A girl that would accept him for the man he was, and be satisfied that he was who he was.  
Someone like Skye.  
Matt smiled as he finished his beer. He had always harboured a secret wish that Bo would look at Skye long and hard, and see more than his best friends kid sister. She would be so good for him, and he for her.  
Matt signalled the waitress for another beer. He sat back and waited for Bo; knowing that this conversation was going to be the hardest he'd ever had.

* * *

Bo entered the brightly lit Boars Nest and briefly paused to scan the crowd.  
At a little past 4pm, the lunch crowd had long gone and preparations were being made for the evening rush.

The Boars Nest had been the society circle of Hazzard for many years; Luke had often joked that Bo had learnt most of his social skills here. It wasn't that far from the truth.

Daisy had spent a number of years working as a waitress here. The pay was dismal but it was helping to put her through Criminal Investigation courses at a University in Texas. She had decided a few years ago that she would like to try her hand at forensic science, after working as a clerk for a private investigator who had worked a couple of cases in Hazzard.

Bo looked over to where Daisy was wiping down the bar. He was proud of her. Proud that she was breaking free of the country bumpkin tag she had been saddled with for most of her life. Not many folks in the city believed that a country girl could have both beauty and brains; and Daisy had both, in spades. She also had enough ambition and determination to accomplish exactly what she set out to achieve. Bo's problem right now was that she seemed to be using his relationship with Trish to practise her detective skills. He scowled slightly, and then spotting Matt in a corner booth, made his way between the tables.

After taking a moment to give the leggy waitress his order, Bo slid into the booth and glanced across the table at Matt.

"What's up Matt?"

Matt played for time by taking a slow drink from his glass.

"We need to talk," he finally said, keeping his gaze on the glass in front of him rather than his friend.

"Okay" Bo slowly drew the word out.

Matt sighed as he put the glass back on the table. There really was no way around this. Maybe he should just lay the cards on the table and hope for the best.

"Some information has come to light about Trish"

Bo immediately tensed. Matt hurried on.

"Just give me a fair hearing, Bo, that's all I'm asking"

A few moments later, Bo allowed himself to relax. He knew that Matt would never do or say anything to ruin their friendship. But things had changed in the last few months. Bo was dating a woman that no one close to him truly liked. Yet they would all do their best to ensure she was welcomed into the fold if it was what Bo wanted.

Bo nodded his head and sat back to hear Matt out.

"Okay. It appears that her family moved here because there was some trouble in Bexar County. That's in San Antonio."

"I know that much" Bo smiled.

"Yeah, well, apparently Trish had been seeing a guy that was in and out of prison. Her family wanted the romance stopped, so when her boyfriend started another stint in prison, they influenced her into seeing the son of one of her father's colleagues. The new boyfriend was well respected and had just started his own business in Bexar County. They dated for just a couple of months though, before he broke up with her"

"Why?" Bo asked.

"Well," Matt paused a moment. "It seems that Trish became a little too possessive. She started acting real weird around his closest friends. Because they had only been dating a little while, it kind of freaked him out. So he decided to cut his losses and run. Trish started harassing him in different ways. She would show up at his office and make loud accusations of him sleeping with other women. She made prank calls to his office and even managed to mess up his computer system when his secretary made the mistake of leaving her alone in the office for a few minutes. He lost a lot of important business due to the disruption. She even broke into his apartment and destroyed everything she could get her hands on. The police investigated and wanted to have charges bought against her, but…"

"But?"

"Well, her parents came to a deal with the former boyfriend. If he dropped the charges they guaranteed him that they would move Trish not just out of Bexar County, but also out of Texas altogether. A few weeks later the Stevenson's arrived in little old Hazzard County, and Trish's past was forgotten"

Silence filled the air. Bo mulled over what Matt had told him.

"So were there any witnesses to these things that she supposedly did?" he asked.

Matt frowned. "Not really, but it was too much too be a coincidence…"

"Right" Bo cut him off. "So no witnesses mean that she could be completely innocent. This guy could have been making the whole thing up because the true story is that she dumped him, and not the other way around"

"What?" Matt asked aghast.

"Even if this is true, there has been nothing in her behaviour to make me think she is capable of that sort of thing"

"But it wouldn't take much to set her off again, and this time you'd be the one in the firing line" Matt pressed.

"Why would she?" Bo smiled. "I don't have any plans to break up with her"

Matt hung his head. He'd done what Daisy had asked him to, and it had made no difference.

"Just be careful, Bo" he sighed, keeping his focus down.

"Don't worry Matt" Bo smiled cockily, as he got up from the table. "Careful is my middle name"

Tossing some bills on the table to pay for the drinks, he gave Matt a jaunty salute, then left.

Matt turned to look over at Daisy. She was still at the bar, talking to a regular patron. She made eye contact with him as she continued the conversation. He slowly shook his head to let her know it hadn't gone so good.

Although Daisy never missed a beat in her chat with the person in front of her, Matt could see a little of the sparkle go from her eyes – the only outward sign that she was disappointed.

****************************************************************************************


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

So, he'd been warned had he?

Well, we can't have that; Trish frowned as she watched Matt leave the Boars Nest a few moments after Bo.

She knew Bo would head right back to the farm. It was something of a routine. He would be expecting her call later tonight.

She smiled. He hadn't yet missed one of her late night calls; unlike that other loser in Bexar County. She was a woman that demanded absolute devotion from her men. Bo hadn't let her down; though there were times that she was sure he was more interested in the baby than in her. She squeezed her hand into a tight fist. She hated being pregnant, didn't even want the brat. Yet, getting pregnant had proved to be quite useful. After all, it had been the pregnancy that had gotten Bo's attention.

She had made it clear to him that she and the baby were a package deal. After that it had been all plan sailing. She and Bo had settled into a routine that focused greatly on her needs and wants. Bo might not have enjoyed every minute, but he was already in love with his baby, so he would bend to her given will. She got devotion from the man she adored, and he got his daddy dream. Trish smiled. It worked for both of them.

At least, it had been working, until someone had let slip about her actions the night of the party. And now Daisy was snooping to her little hearts delight!

Trish knew that Matt had met Bo tonight to tell him about her 'sordid' past in San Antonio; she also knew that it was Daisy that had asked Matt to talk to him. The fact that Daisy hadn't done the telling herself made Trish smile a little. She had been working hard at eroding the tight bond between Bo and Daisy. Now it seemed she may have been succeeding. After all, why would Daisy ask Matt to talk with Bo when she could have done so herself?

Trish wasn't sure how Bo took the news about her ex, but she knew she could smooth any rough patches over with him. All it took was a phone call telling him that she had had a bad day, she was aching or she thought she'd felt the baby move. Bo would focus on her again, and forget whatever Daisy or Matt was telling him. She laughed out loud.

There was still the problem of Matt and Daisy and their snooping though. Trish's lovely face was scrunched into a scowl as Matt drove away.

Nothing would stop her from having what she wanted.

Even if it meant tearing apart the entire Duke family.

* * *

Matt drove home deep in thought.

After his conversation with Bo he tended to agree more with Daisy than before. Matt had seen the look of absolute devotion in his eyes. There was no way that Bo would be easily swayed by anyone close to him; least of all Daisy. He knew that Bo was getting heavily involved in a situation that would probably turn ugly. The last thing he wanted was for Bo to get his heart so involved that it became impossible to break free.

Trish could be the most persuasive person when she needed to be; and Matt agreed with Daisy's assumption that Trish could pull any stunt to ensure keeping Bo in line.

But there was no reasoning with a fool in love. He sighed. He'd done all he could. He wasn't sure what Daisy would do now, but if she did have something up her sleeve, it had better be good.

Matt glanced at his rear view mirror. A set of headlights told him he was cruising a little too slow. He put his foot on the gas and pushed his Dodge a little faster.

He turned his mind back to Bo. If he pushed any further it was bound to ruin their friendship. Bo could be stubborn and hot headed at the best of times, and being with Trish had bought out a different side to him. Knowing he was about to become a daddy had made him more intense, more emotional and even brasher. He'd made it known that Trish and the baby were his priorities, and he wasn't listening to anyone that thought otherwise.

Matt glanced in his rear mirror again. The headlights behind him were now almost at his bumper. 'Some crazy fool in a hurry to get nowhere' he thought, easing his car as far over to the side of the road as he could.

Rather than passing him though, the headlights bore down on him, slamming into the back of his car.

'What the heck?'

Matt fought to control the car against the onslaught of the other driver. The fool was trying to run him off the road!

As he fought the steering wheel while being hit again, he realised the other driver was about to succeed.

One last powerful hit spun his car sideways. He slammed on the brakes in a vain attempt to avoid colliding with a tree. The brakes screamed, dirt spun. He turned the wheel sharply, hitting the tree with the side of his car.

The impact was powerful. His head hit the window, glass rained down on him.

As he looked through eyes covered with blood, he saw the headlights stop, wait, and then drive on.

His last conscious thought was that he had gotten too close. Trish had made the first strike.

* * *

"Matt"

The voice was soft, a whisper close to his ear.

"Matt"

He could feel her breath against the side of his face. He frowned against the pain in his head, and focused on the voice.

"Matt, honey, wake up"

No, he wanted to say. Let me dream a little longer.

"Matt Hardy, if you don't open your eyes I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week"

Well that got his attention.

He opened his bruised eyes and squinted against the sudden glare of the light.

A low moan escaped his lips as he turned his head slowly towards the vicinity of the voice.

Daisy.

"How do you feel?"

She had to be kidding.

"Like I got hit by a brick wall"

"Did you get the license number?"

"Of the wall?"

She frowned. "No, of the car that ran you off the road"

Matt looked at her for a moment, recalling the previous night.

"No" he finally said. "But I have a good idea about who was behind the wheel"

Daisy was silent for a long time.

"Matt," she whispered, "I'm so sorry"

He smiled weakly at her.

"What else were we to do? Bo's in over his head. And now we know for sure that Trish will do about anything to have things her way."

"There's no way he's going to believe that Trish is responsible for this Matt"

He sighed.

"I know. And if we try to make him see otherwise, we're only going to push him further into her web"

The friends lapsed into silence, each wondering how best to approach Bo with this new information; both knowing it wasn't going to be easy.

* * *


	8. Chapter 8

ANYTHING FOR YOU

Chapter 8

"Hey Daisy"

"Bo"

Bo sighed as he closed the door to the farmhouse.

"I've just been to see Matt"

Daisy continued cleaning dishes, not even looking up at her younger cousin.

"He's at home and doing well," Bo continued.

"Great" Daisy replied.

Bo sighed louder this time. "Yeah, well, I told him that he ought to make sure Roscoe files his accident report and follows up on it. You know how lax Roscoe can be about real police work"

He gave a small laugh.

Daisy waited a moment, and then asked softly, "Did Matt tell you if he knows who did it?"

Bo turned to face her, coffee cup in hand.

"No. Did he tell you something?"

Daisy wiped her hands on a tea towel, giving herself a moment to think.

"Daisy?" Bo pressed.

She sat down at the table with a sigh, tossing the tea towel on the back of the chair next to her.

"If I tell what we think, you're only going to get mad"

Bo frowned. "Maybe you shouldn't tell me then"

"I can't _not _tell you, Bo. You're my cousin, I love you. I don't want to see you get hurt"

Bo took a mouthful of his coffee, keeping is eyes on Daisy.

"We think Matt's accident wasn't an accident. We think he was run off the road on purpose"

"To warn him"

Again Bo frowned. "Of what?"

Daisy bit her lip. "That he and I were getting too close to the truth"

Bo waited. "About…" he finally prompted.

With a huge sigh Daisy said simply, "Trish"

Bo waited a heartbeat before jumping from his seat.

"Again with Trish" he yelled. "When are you going to stop this stupid campaign Daisy?"

"Bo, I…"

"No" he yelled, making Daisy jump and bringing a curious Luke into the room.

"I'm sick and tired of you sticking your nose into my business. I'm happy, Trish is happy. Why can't you just be happy for us?"

"Because…"

"I'll tell you why" Bo pressed on. "Because you're jealous. You're jealous that I'm in a relationship and you're not."

Daisy winced at her cousin's words. "I may not be in a relationship right now, Bo, but at least I'm not being taken for a fool by one of the oldest tricks in the book"

Bo laughed out loud. "You don't give up! You're incredible. You think that just because you've learnt this detective stuff, it means that you have the right to charge into everyone's lives and try to make them better in your eyes. Give it up, cousin, it's getting old. I'm sick of the innuendos. Take a look at your own life, or rather, what little there is of it…"

"Hold it" Luke's voice suddenly cut through Bo's tirade. "Don't say another word Bo. You may end up regretting it"

Bo looked at Luke and then glanced back at Daisy. He didn't notice that her face had gone pale, nor the glistening tears in her eyes.

"I don't think so," he said simply.

Tossing his cup into the sink, he walked out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that. But you know, maybe it's for the best. Maybe it's better that there's some distance between you guys"

Bo looked at Trish in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," she sighed. "Your family will never accept me. And if they don't accept me, chances are they won't accept this baby either."

She shook her head, forgetting for a moment that Bo was beside her, watching her.

"That won't do. I've worked too hard for this. That won't do at all"

Bo frowned.

"Trish"

Slowly coming out of a daze, she turned to Bo with a soft smile.

"Yes, dear?"

He looked at her for a moment, thinking of a hundred different things to say. Finally he sighed, and simply smiled back.

"What's for dinner?"

* * *

In another part of town, Daisy was also finding comfort in friends. Matt and Skye sat across from her at their dinner table and tried to help her see the positive in the situation.

Daisy gave them a sad look. "He won't listen. Not while Trish has his attention. And she'll continue to have his attention as long as he believes her baby is his. I just don't see what else there is to do"

After a moment, Matt got up from the table and started to pace the small kitchen.

"What about this other fellow Trish dated?" he asked. "The guy that was in and out of jail. Could he be the father?"

"It's a stronger possibility than Bo being the father," Daisy agreed. "But there's no way that I will get to talk to him. I don't know him and therefore wouldn't be allowed access to him"

"What about asking your detective friend to do the digging for you?" Skye asked.

Daisy's eyes lit up at the suggestion.

"Of course" she laughed. "He could only do it when he doesn't have anything else official to tackle, but I'm sure he'd make the effort to at least place a call to the prison"

She picked up her cup and saluted Skye. "There's hope for you yet Mouse" she winked with affection.

As Skye smiled at the gentle ribbing she couldn't help but feel a guilty twinge. There was no hope for her. The man that she loved was involved with another woman and what was worse; she'd helped set the trap.

* * *

Bo pulled up to the farmhouse with a heavy heart and a load on his mind. He already regretted his words with Daisy. Had regretted them right after his temper had cooled down. Two days on and Daisy was still keeping her distance from him. Bo often saw her and Luke around the farm doing chores, talking, laughing, and he always felt like he was missing out on something. His heart ached at the sight of his cousins as a unit without him. Sure, he had Trish and the baby, but lately he was becoming aware of things about Trish that he didn't like and couldn't understand. The way she always needed to know where he was and what time he'd be back. The way she always expected him to call. How their relationship was on her terms. Everything was scheduled.

Where was the fun? The spontaneity? The romance?

Bo sighed. He was torn between knowing if it was just Daisy getting to him or if he was just going to have to accept that this was as good as it got with Trish. The more he thought about it, the more he worried that this was what the rest of his life would be like. Everything the way Trish wanted it.

Sure, people had built marriages on less, but could he?

As he got out of the car he knew the answer was no. And that left him in a real bind.

How to tell Trish. Did he want to break up with her? He didn't know. But he knew he wasn't ready to marry her. Baby or no baby.

He recalled Jesse telling him that he had to do the right thing. All along, Bo had assumed that the right thing was to marry the mother of his child. But what if the right thing was to _not_ do that?

Marriage wasn't always the answer. He had to tread carefully, especially as there was a child to consider.

He sat on the porch steps and twirled the car keys between his fingers. Would it be fair to marry a woman he didn't love just so he could say he did the right thing? Would it be fair for the child to grow up in an environment that lacked love between its parents? Would it be right to take everything Trish had said at face value?

Whoa!

Where had _that_ come from?

Maybe Daisy was getting to him. He sat for a moment and thought about the things Daisy had been telling him the last few months. He still didn't believe her. But he was wise enough to know that Daisy was a very smart woman. She also loved him too much to make wild accusations that would rip apart their relationship. Even if she wasn't completely correct, there had to be something to what she was saying – or she wouldn't have said it.

Bo slapped his hands on his knees as he got to his feet. He decided it wouldn't hurt to do a little checking himself. What was the worst that could happen?

He smiled ruefully as he thought of what Trish's reaction to his questions would be.

Yep, he smiled to himself, that's the worst that could happen.

Just as he was about to open the kitchen door a noise from inside the house stopped him. No one should be home. Daisy was at work, and Luke had taken Jesse into Capital City for the day.

No one was due back until later that night.

Maybe Daisy had come home early for something?

As he opened the door he steeled himself for another dose of the cold shoulder from his cousin.

Only what he saw when he stepped into the kitchen gave him chills all over.

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

ANYTHING FOR YOU Chapter 9

"Your home! Oh, I was hoping I'd be finished and this would be a surprise"

Bo swallowed, finally finding his voice.

"Trish, what are you doing here?"

She smiled innocently. "Trying to surprise you with dinner."

Bo tried not to show his displeasure, but Trish quickly picked up on it.

"Are you angry?"

"You don't just walk into someone's house Trish"

She shrugged as if it were no big deal. "The door was open"

Bo sighed and looked out the kitchen window. It was after 5 yet the sun was still high, giving the evening a warm feel. That warmth didn't reach into Bo right now. He felt like his space had been invaded. Everywhere he turned, Trish was there. Always watching him, wanting to know more than the average person in a budding relationship would want to know. He was feeling suffocated and he was starting to view spending time with Trish as a chore rather than a joy. She was the mother of his child and yet he couldn't drag up any sense of way he would have sought her out at the party that fateful night. She really wasn't his type. There was nothing about her that attracted him. Oh, she was a looker, but Bo wasn't so superficial that he didn't appreciate a smart mind and a solid work ethic. Those were the traits that he viewed his future bride as having.

Trish was a woman who had never had to lift a finger in her life. Everything she had in life had been handed to her on a plate. She was intelligent enough, yet refused to 'lower' herself to doing such a mere mortal thing as an honest days work.

Yet, here she was, standing in the kitchen of the run down farm that he hoped to one day inherit and raise his children on. And she really did not fit in with the picture that Bo had treasured all these years.

Was he crazy?

"Well, if it's too much of an imposition, I'll just leave. All I wanted to do was make you dinner…"

Bo let a silent growl roll through his mind. Let her go, the reasonable part of his brain urged. However, the emotional side was busy recalling previous guilt trips Trish had used, and wanted peace and quiet tonight.

The emotional side won out.

"It's okay, Trish. I just wasn't expecting anyone to be here. I was looking forward to an early night"

That's my boy, Rational side cheered.

"Oh" Trish smiled in apology.

Emotional side promptly melted to a chorus of nasty boos from its opposing partner.

"Never mind" Bo said, getting plates from the cupboard.

A few minutes later they were working side-by-side fixing pasta and cheese sauce as well as salad. Bo preferred meals that Daisy cooked to this city stuff that Trish insisted on, but food was food, and he was starving.

Towards the end of dinner, there was a knock on the door.

"It's open" Bo called, as he took the dinner plates to the sink.

Matt popped his head inside.

"Alright if we visit?" he asked.

"Sure" Bo smiled at his friend. "Come on in" Matt and Skye walked through the door, their expressions changing the minute they saw Trish seated at the dinner table.

Bo seemed oblivious to their change in mood.

"Skye" he smiled at the petite brunette standing just behind her older brother. "What a sight for sore eyes you are"

"It has been a while" she answered softly, secretly feeling guilty as to why she had been avoiding Bo.

Bo swept her into a big brotherly hug and gave her a resounding kiss on the cheek.

Anyone that saw them would have taken it for what it appeared to be; two old, dear friends greeting each other.

But not Trish.

She watched the cosy scene, inwardly fuming.

How dare Skye show up here, she thought.

If there was one person that could blow her plan wide open it was the mousy girl in front of her. Trish had easily gotten Skye's help in tricking Bo when she had realised how easy it was to intimidate the poor girl. She had discovered that Skye had harboured a secret crush for Bo for a number of years.

Skye was the timid sort of girl who stood on the sidelines, always the one looking on but never in the thick of things. She had been a loyal and true friend to Bo for most of her life. She had never stepped forward to show her true feelings though, and Trish knew that it was simply due to a lack of confidence that the girl had kept quiet.

Trish had easily won Skye over to her way of thinking by reminding her of certain 'facts'

Such as Skye was so shy and mousy, not much to look at, Bo would laugh himself silly if she revealed her true feelings. Of course, their friendship would then be ruined. Skye would be too mortified to hang around him anymore. And that would be a blow that the poor thing could barely consider happening. After, she had obviously decided that if she couldn't be Bo's woman, she was better off being his friend. At least that gave her excuses to seek him out and talk to him.

And so Trish had convinced Skye that helping Trish with her goal would be a lot less painful than having Trish expose her and losing Bo altogether. Skye had been smart enough to choose the lesser of the two evils.

"We don't want to interrupt" Matt smiled.

Yeah right, Trish fumed. Hadn't he gotten the message she sent him when his car went off the road?

Bo laughed, "It's been my night for surprises"

"Oh?" Matt asked.

"Tell you later," Bo smiled off handily.

"Well, we were sitting at home wondering what to do about dinner, and I had this great idea about eating out. So we stopped by to see if you'd want to join us"

Matt paused, looking at Trish. Clearly he hadn't intended her to be here, and the invitation wasn't extended to her.

"Sine you've already eaten, how about we have a drink at the Boar's Nest…the four of us" he added, looking pointedly at Trish.

"Great" Bo agreed.

Great? Trish fumed. What had happened to 'I was hoping for an early night?'

Skye, she thought. It had to be Skye. Bo was looking at her like a kid looked at candy. Come to think of it, Skye did seem to look different tonight. Instead of her usual jeans and shirt she wore a layered skirt with a sleeveless top that showed off all her curves. And there was no way Bo hadn't noticed the legs the girl had kept hidden all these years. The strappy sandals she wore accentuated her small feet and delicate ankles.

Trish, just starting to show her pregnancy, felt like a whale and didn't like it.

Who would have thought a woman like Trish would ever be uncomfortable around a mere slip of a girl like Skye? Yet there it was.

Plain and ugly.

Jealousy.

* * *

Drinks at the Boar's Nest turned into a test of will for Trish.

Bo had insisted on dancing with Skye. The two of them danced beautifully together, even her jealous heart had to admit it was poetry.

She seethed every time Bo pulled Skye closer and smiled down at her. She hated seeing Skye smile up at him, as if nothing else in the world mattered to her.

"I guess you and Bo must be getting excited about the baby," Matt said, trying to make conversation.

"Sure" she murmured, not taking her hateful eyes off the couple on the floor,.

"Have you started shopping for things yet?" Matt pressed.

Trish's gaze remained on Bo and Skye.

"For what?"

"For the baby"

"No, not yet"

Matt sighed. Trying to get along with Trish had been Skye's idea. She was worried that her brother was going to loose his best friend if he didn't make some kind of effort. He had thought Skye was right. But trying to be friendly with a woman, who gave more consideration to the lint in her pocket than her peers, was like trying to melt an iceberg with a match.

Stuck for conversation, he turned his attention to Bo and Skye, and smiled. His sister looked beautiful tonight, and it seemed Bo had noticed. The two hadn't left the floor for longer than it took to quench their thirst.

"Wanna dance?" Matt asked Trish, before his brain could stop his runaway mouth.

"I don't dance" she replied coolly.

"Okay" he drawled. He picked up his beer, deciding he'd done more than his share of trying to draw out the Ice Woman.

Bo and Skye wandered back to the table, their faces flushed with exertion.

"Boy" Bo laughed as he saw Skye to her seat. "This little thing can dance"

While Skye blushed prettily, Matt commented on how good Skye had been at dancing all her life, and Trish zeroed in on the fact that Bo had placed his chair closer to Skye's than hers.

This was a nightmare! She had to get rid of Skye, and get Bo's focus back on her. But how?

A few minutes into the annoy situation, the sight of a passing waitress gave her an idea. She placed an order with the woman. Two more beers for the boys, a red house wine for Skye and mineral water for her.

When the waitress returned, Trish waited anxiously while the woman carefully arranged the glasses, while trying not to disturb the continuing conversation between the trio.

As the waitress left, she made her move. Reaching across the table to grab her glass of water, she deliberately knocked the glass of wine onto its side.

Bo's reaction was lightning quick and Trish didn't miss his attempt to save Skye's pretty skirt from ruin. Unfortunately he wasn't quick enough. As Skye leapt from her chair the red wine left a rich trail down both the skirt and top. Matt grabbed tissues to help repair the damage, while Bo threw Trish an accusing glare.

"I'm so sorry" she attempted. "That was so clumsy of me"

Skye sighed, knowing the evening was over and that it had probably been too good to be true anyway.

"It's okay" she shrugged, keeping her sorrowful heart out of her eyes. "It's getting late. I should be going anyway"

"No" Bo insisted.

"It's probably best if you get that soaked as soon as possible" Trish prompted.

"Of course" Skye answered, looking Trish in the eye and knowing exactly what she wanted. "Matt, do you mind taking me home?" She looked at Bo. "I'm sorry"

Bo gave her a warm smile and hugged her. "It's okay, Mouse. I really enjoyed dancing with you"

"The feeling is very mutual" Matt laughed, causing his sister to blush again.

Bo laughed as he kissed Skye's cheek. "Take care darlin'. See you round."

After the siblings had left, Bo turned his attention to Trish.

"Well, shall we have another drink?" she asked.

"No, Trish. I think I'd like to go home to bed"

"Oh, well, then we can…"

"Alone" he cut her off.

The drive to her house was silent.

"I'll call you" Bo said, in lieu of goodnight.

"When?" Trish asked, trying to keep desperation out of her voice.

Bo sighed. Why hadn't he seen this desperate, clingy behaviour before?

"Soon" he decided.

"Don't lie!" Trish exploded. "You won't call me at all will you?"

Bo was so stunned by her sudden switch in mood that he didn't have time to formulate a reply.

She'd already slammed the door of the pick up.

**********************************************************************************************************


	10. Chapter 10

ANYTHING FOR YOU 

Chapter 10

Bo seemed rather subdued, even to Jesse, later in the evening.

As the cousins sat in the living area watching TV, Jesse looked over the top of his paper at them. They all seemed to be lost in their own separate thoughts. The last few months had been a drain on the entire family. No one had escaped the effects of Trish announcing her pregnancy.

He knew his kids were strong, but Jesse worried daily that this would divide them in ways never before known to Dukes. Whenever they had fallen out before, it hadn't taken long for a reuniting. Right now, both Bo and Daisy were hurting too bad to see past their own wounds.

Three months and they'd barely spoken a civil word to each other. It was unheard of, and yet Jesse had refrained from interfering. He and Luke knew exactly what was happening, though they didn't try to pry into either Bo or Daisy's thoughts. Many nights Jesse had sat on the porch with his eldest charge and discussed the trouble and how they could best help. Right now the best thing seemed to just keep watch from a distance, and be ready to step in when needed. Sooner or later things would come to a head.

The phone rang, breaking Jesse's train of thought.

Luke leaned over the back of the couch that he and Daisy occupied and picked up the handset.

"Duke farm, this is Luke"

He was quiet for a moment then said, "Okay, I'll tell him"

"What was that about?" Jesse asked as Luke replaced the handset.

"Well, seems Trish would like to see Bo at her place"

Bo looked up from his puzzle book, frowning. "Tonight?"

"No" Luke smiled. "Tomorrow at 6pm"

Bo shrugged and went back to his puzzle.

Daisy and Luke looked at each other, both quick to catch Bo's lack of enthusiasm.

"Something wrong, son?" Jesse asked, folding his paper over.

"No' Bo said simply.

With that the room fell into silence again.

* * *

The next day Bo picked Matt up after lunch with the aim of helping him collect some things from Atlanta. Matt and Skye had turned their late parents shack into a beautiful four-bedroom cottage with two bathrooms, a huge lounge dominated by a stonework fireplace, office and plenty of room to move. Matt was using his recovery time to do extra painting around the house and to finalise building plans for what would become the main barn. He had done a lot of the building around the homestead himself, including the addition of the wrap around porch that Skye so loved.

Bo had helped out whenever he could, which seemed to be less these days. Knowing that Skye loved to work on the home's spacious gardens in the early afternoon, Bo had been hoping to catch up with her. Especially after their time together at the Boars Nest. He was starting to get the feeling that he really didn't know Skye at all. She had blown him away with her ability to dance, her seemingly effortless conversation with him all night, and mostly her transformation from tomboy to vixen. After spending a sleepless night wondering who the guy was that had caused the change in Skye, Bo had decided to simply ask her today. He was a little put out when Matt told him that she had left early to go jogging.

"Jogging?" he scoffed. "What on earth for? There's hardly anything of her as it is"

Matt smiled, as he checked the house was shut up before jumping into the truck beside his old friend. "She seems to think that Mr Right will pass her by if he detects even an ounce of body fat on her"

Bo frowned as he drove down the Hardy's drive. "Well then, Mr Right is a jackass"

Matt reflected for a moment on the tone of jealousy he'd just detected in his friend's voice. Was it possible that Bo had suddenly noticed that Skye wasn't a child anymore? Matt was sure that his sisters transformation had everything to do with Bo and nothing to do with the make believe Mr Right she had told him about this morning when he had asked her about the changes she was making.

Of course, Bo had never had reason to know that he was the object of his best friend's kid sister's affections. He had never been anything more than a trusted friend and another big brother to Skye. Maybe she was letting him know in that timeless woman way that she wanted more.

The only thing that worried Matt was that his rather naïve and sensitive sister had decided to make her intentions known a little too late.

* * *

The drive back from Atlanta was as bad as it could be. The boys got held up in traffic on the way in. They got held up at every store they went to. Another store waylaid them because the specific order Matt had requested couldn't be found.

Finally, three excruciating hours later, they were loaded up and on the way back to Hazzard.

Bo figured he could still meet Trish at six despite being pressed for time.

A loud bang from the rear of the truck made him think again.

He pulled to the side of the road and got out to inspect the damage. The right back tire was completely useless. Looking in the bed of the truck, he discovered there was in fact no spare and told Matt to give Luke a call on the CB.

Trish was not going to like this, he thought as he looked at the tire accusingly.

"We're going to be here a while" Matt said a little while later.

He explained to Bo that Luke was at a neighbours helping him to refit his main gate back to the fence.

"That storm last night blew the thing off its hinges and half of the herd got free. So Luke went over first thing to help regroup the stock and repair the fence. He reckons he'll be at least another hour"

Bo sighed loudly. "That's just great" he fumed, kicking the tire for good measure.

He tried to get Trish on the CB, but to no avail. He then got hold of Skye and asked her to contact Trish by phone instead.

"No problem, I'll let her know" Skye agreed.

"You're a life saver, honey," Bo teased.

Sure, Skye thought, dialling Trish's number.

She answered on the second ring. "Hello"

Sitting by the phone Skye thought, then quickly chastised herself for being so mean spirited.

"Trish, it's Skye. I just got word from Bo. There's been some trouble outside Hazzard"

"What kind of trouble?" Trish cut in.

Did she just enunciate those words? Skye thought. Talking with Trish had never been her strong point. A stutter she'd developed after her parents death had been the bain of her childhood, and Trish now enjoyed making her recall how bad she had felt those times during her horrific school years.

"Um, well, um"

Skye frowned and concentrated on what she wanted to say. Bo and Matt had spent countless afternoons coaching her on how to say what she wanted without stumbling. There were many days that the three of them would sit on the porch after school and practise full sentences from books. Skye had worked hard to rid herself of the weakness, and then Trish had come to town and Skye had seemed to loose her vocal power almost overnight.

"Apparently the tire blew out and the truck doesn't have a spare, so, um, he has to wait for Luke to pick them up"

"Okay" Trish drawled.

"Well, the problem is that Luke is over at Mr. Randal's. Seems the gate came off his main fence last night and most of his stock got out. Luke went over there to help him do the repairs and round up the stock lost during the storm…"

The silence on the other end of the phone only heightened Skye's anxiety, making her stutter all the more pronounced.

"So, Luke won't be able to get Bo for at least an hour, which means Bo will be late getting to your place"

More silence.

For a moment Skye thought Trish might have hung up. But then her voice came across the line, cold, lethal and terrifying.

"If I find out your lying, Skye Hardy, you will never bat those over painted eyes of yours at him again. Do I make myself clear?"

Without waiting for a reply, Trish disconnected.

Skye starred at the phone feeling chilled to the bone.

What the heck had bought that on?

* * *

Trish slammed down the phone.

That little upstart was lying through her teeth. She never could string together enough words to make a coherent sentence. All the more reason for Trish to believe she'd been coached. She froze, a sudden thought coming to her.

Was Bo there with Skye? Is that why he was going to be late?

She clenched her hands so hard, her nails drew blood.

There was only one way to find out what was going on.

* * *

It was well after six by the time Matt and Bo were on the road again.

"Trish is going to be furious" Bo sighed.

Matt laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "It's that fatal charm of yours, bro"

"Not funny Matt," Bo frowned, becoming serious for the first time in months.

"She's becoming all possessive, wants to know where I am every moment of the day. She freaks out if I talk to another girl. Turns up at the farmhouse when I'm the only one there. It's … freaky"

Matt frowned. "You need to sit her down and read her the riot act, man. This is getting out of hand. If you guys get married she probably won't let you out of the house"

Matt suddenly bit his tongue, worried that his outburst would awaken anger in Bo that had been buried for weeks now. But Bo didn't even flinch.

"There will be no marriage" he said simply, "of that, at least, I'm sure"

As the boys came up to the Boars Nest, Bo directed Matt to park so he could call Trish from the pay phone there.

The two walked into the community hub to find a party in full swing.

"Bo" one of the revellers called out. "You and Matt come and have a drink on the house"

Bo glanced at Matt.

Matt could see that Bo was dying to do what he had done many times before; kick up his heels and join in the fun. But now his mind was on what Trish would say.

"I better not" he said hesitantly.

"Come on" the goading, continued.

Bo looked at Matt and finally decided.

"I'm in hot water as it is, may as well turn the heat up a little more."

Matt laughed, slapped Bo on the back and accompanied him to the bar.

* * *

"Where is he Skye? Huh? Is he under the bed?"

Skye blinked back tears as Trish all but turned her room upside down looking for Bo.

At six months pregnant, Trish could still move like lightening thanks to those years of cheerleading.

And Trish in any physical condition scared Skye. Girls like Trish had made her life a frequent hell. The fact that she had been able to be relaxed and comfortable with Bo that night at the Boars Nest had given her fragile heart just a flicker of hope.

For a long time Skye had hoped that the childhood affliction had passed, but Trish had been quick to pick up on it and had only reaffirmed that Skye would never be able to hold her own with someone in Bo's league.

As Trish wandered around Skye's spacious room, knocking things over, mocking Skye for trying to steal her man, vowing revenge when she found out what was going on; Skye couldn't utter a word. Her mouth moved, her mind screamed, but her vocal chords froze in terror.

And when Trish, exhausted from turning the room upside down, started advancing on a helpless Skye, it took all her strength not to curl into a ball of fright.

"You will never have him Skye" Trish seethed. "Look at you, quivering like a leaf. You're not a woman, you're a child. Bo needs a woman; he has needs only a woman can fill. How do you expect to have a relationship with him anyway? You can't even talk to him!"

As Trish advanced, Skye inched further towards the far side of her room. She backed her way into the bathroom, hoping to be able to get out the large window in there. Instead, she hit the bathroom wall. The cool feel of the tiles against her back had her huddling inside herself, wishing that Matt would hurry home.

"I saw Bo making eyes at you that night at the Boars Nest. He thought you looked real pretty Skye"

Hope flared again in Skye's heart. She raised her eyes to meet Trish's. And saw nothing but evil and hate. And a large pair of scissors in Trish's hand.

"Wh-what are you…are you d-do-doing?"

Trish laughed. "See how pathetic you are? I could grow old waiting for you to say a simple sentence"

Trish moved closer. Skye squeezed into the corner more. There was nowhere left to run.

"I'll show you what happens to girls who try to muscle in on my men! Bo will never want to look at you again"

Skye squeezed her eyes shut to block out the evil in Trish's eyes and the gleam of the scissors as they came closer to her face.

* * *


	11. Chapter 11

ANYTHING FOR YOU 

Chapter 11

By the time Matt and Bo decided to leave the Boars Nest, the hour was very late. Both were feeling happier than they had in months though. Bo had seen what he was missing by bowing to Trish's every whim. And his eyes were slowly starting to open to the short leash she had him on. He couldn't wait to get back to the farm and discuss things with Jesse, Luke and, yes, especially Daisy.

Just as he and Matt were leaving the bar, by now rowdy with a bad karaoke version of "Y'all Come," they ran into Trish.

"I was trying to call you" Bo immediately blurted.

"Sure you were" Trish folded her arms.

Bo wondered why he suddenly felt the need to hang his head and confess to all he hadn't done.

"What's your problem?" he asked, instead.

"My problem is that you were supposed to be at my place at six"

"Oh" Bo smiled. "We had a heck of an afternoon. We were stuck in traffic on the way in, Matt's orders got messed up and then we blew a tire on the way home. I had to get Luke to come an get us"

Bo and Matt exchanged lighthearted laughter at the day's events.

Trish however was not so amused. "Yes, that's what Skye said"

She waited a beat before blasting Bo. "Or maybe you just forgot that we had a date?"

Bo frowned, all trace of laughter gone from his voice. "What's wrong with you?"

Matt moved towards the door to the parking lot, deciding that the two should sort this out in private. Though the foyer of an old country pub in the middle of a party didn't afford too much privacy.

"I'll tell you what's wrong with me. I'm tired of being used by you"

"Now wait a minute" Matt intervened, forgetting about the privacy thing.

"Don't you dare stick up for him" Trish fumed. "I bet you were having a good laugh at my expense all day, weren't you?"

Bo sighed. "Trish keep your voice down will you"

Noticing that partygoers were now quietening down in favour of watching the unfolding drama in the foyer, Trish let loose. "Don't you dare tell me what to do! You know what? I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man on earth!"

With a flick of her hair she stormed out of the pub.

Bo stood in stunned silence, not hearing Matt's urgent "Let's go" or the bartender telling everyone to go back to their drinks. "Floor shows over folks"

Matt guided Bo out of the Boars Nest and into the car.

"That's it" Bo said quietly as Matt drove out of the parking lot. "Baby or no baby, I just can't take a woman doing that kind of drama all the time"

While Matt was secretly relieved that his friend had finally seen the true colours of Trish, he hated to see him hurting for it.

"Why don't I take you back to our place tonight?" he suggested. "There's no point in trying to answer a lot of questions until you have a clear head."

"Besides" he added with a smile, "Skye will love being able to fuss over you"

That bought a smile to Bo's face. An image of Skye flashed into his mind. Not the little Skye he was so used to seeing, but the grown up, all woman Skye that had danced so closely and so eagerly in his arms just the night before. She would be happy to see him and, like Matt said, she would fuss over him until he died from kindness. Why couldn't Trish have been more like her? Skye had the kind of heart that could warm a man on the coldest of days and a smile that would light a room on its own. Not to mention that she the best legs in the county and the most amazingly soft …

Whoa! Bo suddenly straightened up, opened his eyes and took a sneak look at Matt. Had his friend known where his thoughts about his sister had wandered he was bound to be beaten into half his current size. But Matt's eyes were focused on the road. He hadn't noticed a thing. Maybe it was just a guilty conscience that had Bo thinking his mortality was limited, after all, he never daydreamed about Skye. Well, not until he'd held her in his arms last night.

Matt was right, a night away from home would do him some good. The problem was, he had the feeling that he would be avoiding one round of self-questioning, only to barrel headfirst into another.

And this one was all about Skye.

* * *

"That's what she said?"

"Yeah" Daisy confirmed.

Luke shook his head. "She's flipped, finally and truly"

"She has got to be sick to do something like that in public"

"I agree" Luke's tone was soft compared to his younger cousin's venom.

"She needs help"

"Uh huh"

"Luke!"

Sighing, the older Duke looked up from what he was doing. "What do you think you should do? Get Roscoe to put out an APB on her?"

"She shouldn't be walking the street"

"Look, I'm no shrink, Daisy, but I think she may have vented her aggression on Bo tonight, and tomorrow she'll be over it"

Daisy thought about what she knew of Trish's last relationship.

"Do you really think so?" she asked, hoping her gut feeling was wrong, knowing it wasn't.

"You really think this blow up won't trigger off that Physco Trish thing like it did to that guy in Texas?"

Luke shrugged his broad shoulders.

"Honestly, honey, I have no idea. But Bo knows where we are if he needs us"

* * *

"That's weird" Matt murmured, as the boys approached the Hardy home.

"What?" Bo asked.

"The lights are all out"

"Maybe Skye went to bed?"

"I doubt it, she usually stays up until I'm home. And even if she did go to bed, she'd leave a light on. It's something she's done ever since our folks died. They never came home, so she likes to know that I do"

Bo remained thoughtful for a moment. "It's been rough on her hasn't it?"

Matt pared the car and sighed. "More than you could ever know. Her life has been one upheaval after another. First our folks dying in that accident, then her speech therapist told us she would have a stutter for the rest of her life. She worked so hard to overcome it, but then she met Trish"

Bo's silence was almost deafening.

"I have to say this Bo, because you're like a brother not just to me but to Skye as well. You need to know how hard it's been for Skye because of Trish"

Matt waited to see his friends reaction. It was becoming a night of revelations for him, and Matt didn't know how Bo would take knowing more he thought he did.

"Okay" Bo finally answered softly, keeping his gaze straight ahead.

Matt gave a small sigh and turned sideways in his seat to address him.

"Trish picked up on Skye's speech trouble pretty quick and that was all she needed to have Skye become a gofer of sorts" Matt deliberately left out the part about Trish knowing that Skye was crazy about Bo, and Matt's suspicion that Trish had also been using that against his sister. That was information that Skye didn't need her brother to be telling the object of her affections.

"She bullied, taunted and all but terrified my sister to the point that Skye was like jelly whenever Trish was around. Skye would never go against anything that Trish said or did. That's why I asked her to stop working at the boutique Trish goes to, and arranged for her to get a job at the courthouse instead"

Matt paused for a moment, not quite sure how to proceed with his suspicions.

"I think Skye knows more about what happened between you and Trish the night of the party than she's told us"

Bo thought back to that night. His memory was still very fuzzy. He wasn't a hundred percent sure the baby was actually his, but had kept that knowledge to himself thinking that it was possibly a guilty conscience trying to give him a way out.

Now he needed to know for sure.

He looked over at Matt in the dim light of the trucks cab.

"I'm not sure what to think anymore," he murmured.

"Well," Matt said, opening the truck door, "all a good friend can do is wait and give encouragement"

"And you are a good friend, Matt" Bo assured him, joining him on the porch. "A real good friend"

Matt smiled and clapped Bo on the shoulder. "Thanks, you're not so bad yourself"

The pair laughed as they entered the front room of the homestead. When Matt hit the lights, the laughter stopped.

The cosy front room was a mess. Furniture tossed over, cushions strewn about, photographs smashed. The adjoining kitchen area was littered with pots, pans, broken dishes and other items.

Bo and Matt stood stunned.

"Skye" Matt breathed.

Fear propelled both towards the short hallway that led to the downstairs rooms. At the end of the hall was a magnificent staircase that led to the upstairs area.

At the foot of the stairs, Matt suddenly froze, a whirlpool of memories crashing in on him. His parents had crashed after hitting a blind patch of ice. He'd been asleep in the back of the car at the time. When he had recovered enough to realise that he had not been injured he knew from the silence that his parents hadn't fared so well. The memory of looking to the front seat and seeing their crumpled lifeless bodies was something that still haunted him. Now, standing at the bottom of the stairs, he felt the adrenaline rush out of him, leaving him limp with weakness. If Skye was up there and something bad had happened, he couldn't face it. Not seeing another loved one broken.

He turned to Bo, searching for the words to tell him what was in his head.

Fortunately, Bo knew only too well of Matt's fear. Bo had suffered the same when his own parents had died, along with both Luke and Daisy's, in a similar car crash. Though Bo hadn't been there when they died, he could imagine what Matt had gone through. Bo was the only one that Matt had confided his nightmares to.

"You go and call the Sheriff's office, tell them that there's been a break in and you think your sister may be hurt. Okay?"

Matt looked at him with gratitude. "I just couldn't bear it if something has happened to her"

Bo put a reassuring hand on his friends shoulder. "I know what you're thinking, but you may be putting the cart before the horse. She's probably fine, just hiding in a closet or something"

Matt nodded, though he didn't seem convinced.

As he headed out the front door to call the Sheriff, Bo headed up the stairs that lead to the spacious upstairs landing. As he got to the top of the stairs everything on the landing seemed in order. The massive oak bookcases were still upright, and all the books and mementos were still in their places. In between the cases was a massive bay window that served as a backdrop for an antique table and two antiques reading chairs. Skye had decided to use the landing as something of a library, where she liked to while away late afternoons reading classic novels. She often joked that all she needed was a fireplace to make it perfect.

On either side of the landing were doors leading to each of the sibling's rooms, or living quarters as Matt happily dubbed them. Each room was identical in design, both roomy, with adjoining ensuites. On the opposite side of each ensuite was another room that had originally been the living rooms of the master and mistress of the house. Matt had decided to turn the living rooms into offices for both he and Skye, which meant they could both work in private, yet still enjoy time together in the downstairs living area. Part of the living rooms had been converted into walk in closets for the pair, though Matt often teased Skye that she needed a bigger one than he did.

Bo decided that the most obvious place to start his search would be in Skye's room. With baited breath he turned the handle and opened on of the doubled doors that lead to her private sanctuary.

Her bed had been ransacked, drawers had been opened, their contents tossed around. As he made his way over to the office he could see through the open door that the small two-seater couch in front of the fireplace was overturned. Skye's precious books had been tossed off her small bookcase, many ripped apart.

Whoever did this had a burning hatred.

Bo walked out of the office and headed back to the doorway of the room. From there he could see that Matt's room was untouched. He frowned. That seemed to mean that this might have been a personal attack against Skye.

As he turned back towards Skye's office, his foot caught something on the floor. Bending down he saw that it was a small teddy bear that he'd given Skye for her tenth birthday. The bears eyes were pulled out, it's face ripped. One of its legs was twisted almost off.

Cradling the bear in one hand, Bo opened the door to the bathroom. This was also in disarray. However, it wasn't the bottles, towels and other items tossed around the room that caught his attention. It was the clumps of blonde hair littering the far side of the room near the shower cubicle.

As Bo neared the area he could hear a soft keening sound, as if someone were trying to be quiet but unable to hold back sobs.

Skye, he thought.

With a quick flick of his wrist he opened the cubicle door…

* * *


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"I need help!" Matt yelled down the phone.

"Sir, what is your emergency?" the calm voiced operator asked him.

"Well, I'm not sure. See, I got home and my house is ransacked and my sister is … she's … "

"Sir, take a deep breath and try to stay calm"

Matt breathed deeply and was amazed at how calming it was.

"Okay," the operator coaxed him. "Tell me what happened"

"My friend and I just got home. The house looks like someone has been through it, like a break in or something. My sister was supposed to be home but I don't know where she is"

"Is it possible she went out?"

Natural to think, Matt thought, but it wasn't something that Skye would do without telling him. She knew that she could contact him on the CB and as far as he could tell from glancing around the kitchen, she'd left no note.

"No" he told the operator. "She wouldn't have gone out without leaving a note or telling me. My friend is checking upstairs…I don't know what's happened"

"It'll be okay, sir. Your friend will probably find her upstairs. She may have heard someone breaking in. If she did, the best thing she could have done would be to have hidden somewhere. However, I'll dispatch both the sheriff and an ambulance just in case. What's your address?"

* * *

As Matt was giving information to the 911 operator, Bo was making a grisly discovery. Upon opening the door to the shower he's found Skye cowering in a corner. Her face was blotched from crying, tears continued to track down her cheeks. She was hunched in the corner, arms wrapped tight in front of her as if the barrier would protect her.

Bo took in the defeated posture at a glance. His attention was more riveted on the fact that her beautiful long hair was now in messy clumps as if someone had hacked at it with scissors.

She looked up at him, her eyes raw from grief. His heart ached for her plight. He quickly moved into the cubicle to take her in his arms. Instinctively, she held her arms in front of her face like a barrier between him and her.

"It's okay" he soothed. "I won't hurt you"

She lowered her arms slowly and looked at the man she'd adored for most of her life. To have him see her like this was beyond humiliating. This was just what Trish had planned. What better for Trish than to have the love of her life look upon her with pity; the one emotion Skye loathed the most.

In the moment that Bo took her in his arms and cradled her gently, Skye knew that Trish had won.

She was dimly aware of scenes and sensations as Bo carried her to the living area downstairs, where he laid her gently on a couch. She was aware of Bo talking to her brother, her brother leaving the house, Bo returning to her side. He covered her with a blanket, and then sat at her side. He clasped her hands in his, went to stroke her face, but she stopped him.

"Don't look at me," she rasped covering her face with tightly clenched hands. She felt, rather than heard Bo sigh. He gently removed her hands and looked intently at her. The pity in his eyes was her undoing.

"Where's Matt?"

Bo ignored her distance and stroked her head.

The patches of hair left felt like clumps of soft bristles on a baby's hairbrush. Though she shuddered at his touch, Bo continued to look in her eyes in an effort to assure her that she was safe with him. He'd seen Luke calm horses the same way, and though Skye was obviously not a horse, the technique worked just as well on people as it did animals.

"He's waiting on the paramedics, honey"

Skye frowned. "I'm not hurt"

Bo gave her a "could have fooled me" look, but remained silent.

Someone had come into her home and attacked her. Of course she was hurt. Maybe not physically but emotionally, mentally, she was bound to be battered.

"Let's let the medics decide that, okay?"

At her hesitant nod he smiled. She reminded him of an injured bird he'd once nursed back to health. It tried to fly despite it's injury, not understanding why it had so suddenly been grounded.

Because it was easier to pretend he wasn't there, Skye closed her eyes to block out his face, his knowing eyes, and his damned pity. She tried to go someplace else, somewhere before she had known what jealousy and pity were. Somewhere that she was still untouched by the evil in the eyes of an obsessed woman. Unbeknown to her, tears seeped from beneath her tightly closed lids.

Bo's heart constricted at the obvious pain she was going through. Why would someone do this to her? Who could Skye have upset so badly that she'd warrant this kind of backlash? He closed his eyes on an angry sigh, knowing there was only one person that would be so vindictive. Hadn't those close to him warned him? Hadn't he seen for himself what Trish could be like? He'd seen too late though.

Bo lifted Skye's limp hand to his mouth. He softly kissed her knuckles then pressed her hand to his heart, where she was sure to feel his heart beat. He gazed down at her tear-streaked face. Her eyes remained closed but she seemed calmer now. Almost as if she'd resigned herself to the fact that what was done was done. Bo felt a measure of fury at that. She should be mad, she should be so angry that she could spit tacks. She should want everyone to know who did this to her and why.

"Skye" he said, squeezing her hand. "Who did this?"

In response, Skye squeezed her eyes tighter closed and turned her head away.

"Skye" Bo said more firmly, turning her head back to face him. "Tell me who did this to you"

"No" she moaned shaking her head. "I can't"

"Why?" he frowned.

Skye opened her eyes and looked at him. She saw past the sorrow and the pity and saw the man she'd fallen in love with as a mere child. Her heart ached for the pain that her confession would bring him. Knowing that you could never have the one you truly loved was something that she had learnt to deal with, but it was still only known to her. While that remained she could function around Bo normally. If he were to know all the details, she would loose what little control she had left. And telling him who had attacked her would mean that she would eventually have to tell the whole story.

"Oh Bo," she said simply. "You already know who. But I doubt if you'll ever understand why"

* * *

A few hours after Skye had been released from the hospital, Matt took her to the Duke farm where she could rest while he arranged for the mess at the cottage to be cleaned up.

After seeing Matt off, Bo took Luke aside to discuss the situation. Luke wasn't surprised at Trish being behind Skye's terror. Despite the tension it had caused between the cousins, Luke had believed that Daisy's theory had had its merits. As the two men stood on the porch, Luke listened to Bo outline what he planned to do.

"I don't think I can ever forgive Trish for this" he said on a sigh. "What would posses her to do something so hurtful?"

Luke smiled at his younger cousins thoughts. He was obviously oblivious to what had been happening between Trish and Skye. Anyone with eyes could see that Skye worshipped the ground Bo walked on and that she had become a threat in Trish's eyes.

He clapped Bo on the shoulder and told him simply, "Skye has been in love with you since she could walk"

Bo remained silent a moment.

"I know," he finally said.

"You do?" Luke was stunned.

"Well, I didn't really know until I looked into her eyes today" He turned and looked at Luke. "I'm not stupid. I know love when I see it. And that's what I saw in her eyes. Despite all the heartache and pain, I saw love."

Luke frowned. "So now you believe what Daisy has been trying to tell you?"

Bo mused over that a moment. "I don't know what to think Luke. All I know for sure is that Skye was terrorised by Trish. And I plan on finding out why"

As Bo made his way to the pickup truck, Luke followed him.

"You may need some backup" he quipped.

* * *


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

It was the worst news possible.

Daisy had phoned a friend in Texas who had looked deeper into Trish's past. What he found had angered Daisy. Now she had the difficult task of passing the information onto Bo. The rate things were going between them though, she may be safer if she posted it in a letter. With a heavy heart she walked to the front of the farmhouse. She was surprised to see Skye sitting on the porch with Jesse. Even more surprised to see that Skye was wearing a headscarf on such a warm early evening. She mentally shrugged at her friend's sense of fashion and made her way to the swing seat.

"Hey guys"

"Hey, Daisy" Jesse smiled. "Find out what you wanted?"

"Yeah" she murmured. "More than I wanted though"

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked.

Daisy shrugged. "I found out that Trish has spun a pregnancy story before. She tried to convince her last boyfriend to stay with her because she was carrying his child"

"And?" Jesse prompted.

"And he dumped her anyway. That's when she started stalking him. Not long after, her family moved her out here.'

"Was Trish pregnant?" Jesse asked.

Daisy stayed silent, unsure how to break the news.

"Daisy" Jesse prompted again.

"She was" Daisy said.

"She lost the baby?"

"No, Jesse" Daisy sighed, knowing her uncle wouldn't understand how Trish had managed to get pregnant to Bo so quick.

"But she's having Bo's baby now …" Jesse suddenly stopped, light dawning in his aged eyes. "Oh my goodness" he sighed sadly. "The baby isn't Bo's, it's that other fellows"

Daisy nodded.

"But how did she pull it off?" Jesse asked.

Daisy had no idea.

Skye's soft voice interrupted the quiet.

"She put something in his drink the night of the party. He was out cold by the time Trish had set up the scene to look like they had been together. When he came to she pretended to be asleep. When he questioned her about the previous night, she feigned memory loss due to the amount of alcohol she had supposedly consumed. She hadn't touched a drop though, and neither had Bo, except for the drink that she had poured him. She had this planned perfectly and she had taken her time to make sure that it was executed with precision. She needed a daddy for her child, and Bo was it"

A chill settled over the trio on the porch. Daisy was stunned. It was such a simple plan, and it had almost succeeded.

Jesse's face flushed with uncharacteristic anger.

"Unbelievable" he fumed. "How could she have pulled this off by herself?"

"She didn't" Skye said simply. 'I helped her"

* * *

Bo wasn't sure what he'd say when he saw Trish. He figured that the words would come to him when she opened the door to her parent's home. However, he was wrong. She stood there looking as sweet and as innocent as he had once believed her to be. Only now he was starting to see the cracks in the glass. Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. He noticed that she darted a rather non-plused look in the direction of Luke before centring her gaze back on him.

"Bo" she drawled, "Come on in"

As he entered the house with Luke by his side, Bo started to see how wrong he had been. Trish was a cake decoration, the further you cut into it the more you saw how artificial it was. He frowned. How could he have been so foolish? He glanced at Luke, ever solid and ever in his corner. Luke's look didn't berate him; rather it told him he had his unconditional support. No matter what. Typical of his wonderful family.

Bo looked at Trish again. Now that he was really seeing her, he had little regard for what he saw.

She ushered him into the grand room with the air of an experienced hostess. A sweep of her hand told Luke where to sit, while her focus stayed on Bo.

"What a surprise" she smiled, taking his hands in hers. "I didn't expect to see you tonight, but this is great. I'm here alone, so you can keep me company"

The gleam in her eye and her fingers wandering up the front of his shirt left him in no doubt as to what kind of company she was after.

"What's on your mind, Bo?"

"I've just realised what a stupid fool I have been and what a tremendous mistake you've helped me to avoid"

Trish frowned. "I've helped you to avoid?"

Bo nodded.

"See, I didn't believe for a second that you could be what everyone was telling me you were. I practically ruined my relationship with Daisy because she dared to speak against you"

"She told you lies Bo, you know that"

"No" Bo sighed, dropping Trish's hands and stepping away from her. "She was telling me things that I should have seen for myself. Things I would have seen if it hadn't been for you being so good at distracting me from the truth with your act"

Trish trembled, but refused to let down her guard. She could still win him over. She just needed to remind him why he needed her. That's all.

"Bo, you know I love you," she purred.

Bo smiled at her, and then shook his head sadly. "Trish, I'd be surprised if you really knew what love was"

She frowned. What was going on here? Her plan was slipping, her goal vanishing.

"Trish" Bo continued. "You and I are through"

"What?" she gasped. "Where did this come from?"

She waved a hand at Luke. "Your not going to listen to your family's lies are you?" She looked at Luke with pure venom. "They don't know you like I do, Bo. Remember how they wanted to keep us apart? That's what they're doing now. And your letting them win!"

"No, Trish" Bo stated simply. "I didn't know what I was going to do when I came here. I had hoped that you would tell me that it was all lies and I would believe you. I needed to see the truth Trish, and now I do."

"I have no idea what you're talking about" Trish stressed.

"What happened to Skye?"

Silence.

"What did you do to her?"

Trish remained silent.

"Why would you feel the need to attack her? What you did was totally reprehensible"

"I don't believe it," she wailed. "How could you even think that I would do something so heinous? How dare you!"

Bo refused to back down. "Skye fingered you as her attacker."

"Well, of course she would" Trish fumed, pacing the floor. "She's in love with you"

Bo raised his eyebrows. "Your not the first to state that tonight"

Was he the only one who didn't know about Skye's true feelings? He felt like such an idiot.

"I don't see what any of this has to do with you either" Trish continued to rant, aiming her gaze at Luke.

"I'm just here to deter the blood spill" he deadpanned.

Trish was not amused. She had to make a play for time in order to get her thoughts together. She could still win this. She had to.

"So little Miss Mouse cries foul and both Duke boys run to her rescue? Typical. Pity she couldn't put that femme fatale stuff to better use. If she could she may be married now. Though I don't see who would …"

"That's enough" Bo stormed, causing Trish to jump.

In a heart beat her emotions switched again. "Oh, Bo, I was only letting off steam. How could you honestly think that I'd do anything to harm Skye?"

"Jealously" Bo answered simply, still containing his amazement at the different sides that Trish could present so quickly.

Trish threw her head back and laughed. "Of what?" she quipped.

"My relationship with Skye. You obviously started to feel threatened by it and did what you had to do to – supposedly – eliminate the competition. Pretty much your usual way of doing things Trish"

She cocked a cool eyebrow. "Really?"

There was silence for a moment.

"It's over Trish"

Three words that dealt a deathblow.

"Don't say that" Trish shook her head, moving towards Bo, still sure she could make things right for her. "What about the baby? What about our plans?"

Bo frowned as more things started to become clear to him.

"They were all your plans Trish. You never asked me what I wanted; you just assumed that I would go along with your ways. You never really needed me, and you still don't. So now you can do exactly what you want without me."

Trish growled low in her throat. "You don't mean that Bo"

But as she looked at him she knew that he was serious. She had underestimated the bond between Bo and the Hardy's, Skye in particular now that Bo was discovering how the younger woman felt about him. She could see that there was a chance that Bo actually reciprocated those feelings, but he was obviously unsure of what to do about it. Everything she had planned, all the work she'd done to ensure that Bo was convinced she was the kind of person he could love, it was all for nothing. And all because of that stupid girl!

"She's not so innocent you know"

Bo frowned. "She never did anything to you"

Trish laughed again, a cold heartless laugh.

"Like I said, she loves you. That's what she did to me. She was always in the way, always your buddy. I knew it would only be a matter of time before you looked at her the way she wanted you to. I had to eliminate the competition as you said."

"So you attacked her?" Luke asked, a little stunned, not so much by the words but by the emotion behind them.

Trish threw him a sneer in response. "I had to make sure that Bo would never look at her the way he was supposed to look at me. And it worked didn't it?"

She looked at Bo in triumph. "You'll never look at her the same again. You'll always see that cowering little piece of trash just the way I left her, bruised and broken"

If Bo hadn't felt the weight of guilt for failing one of his dearest friends before, he sure felt it now. How could he have been so blind to this woman? Not for the last time he would wonder what it was about her that had made him so sure that everyone around him would lie to keep him away from her. He'd made his share of mistakes with women before, but this one would define the rest of his relationships. Of that he was sure.

If he had listened a little more and yelled a little less, maybe none of this would have happened.

Ever observant, Luke walked over to Bo and put a hand on his cousin's shoulder.

"Knowing what you do now may not have changed anything," he said.

Bo kept his gaze on Trish while addressing Luke. "Skye may not have been hurt by … _her_"

Trish snapped. "You can't even say my name can you? See why I had to do what I did? Do you know how hard I had to work to get you offside with so many people? Your family loves you, Skye loves you, everyone loves you! Why couldn't you love me?"

"Because you really don't know what love is," Bo said.

Deciding that all her aces had been played, and now having nothing left to loose, Trish decided to reveal all in an attempt to hurt Bo at his core.

"Here's something you may want to remember next time you talk to Skye. She helped me convince you that this baby was yours! She helped me set the scene. She knew all along that you were innocent. Did she speak up? No!"

The look of shock, horror and astonishment on both boys' faces was worth it. Trish smiled widely, knowing that she may have lost the battle, but she had now won the war.

"You never would have guessed it, but she was in on the whole plan. She knew exactly what I was going to do the night of the party. She knew before I gave you that drink. She could have warned you. Heck, she could have just knocked the drink over, and all this would have been avoided. But she didn't."

There was silence again as Bo processed the new information, not sure whether to believe it or not. Then again, it did answer a lot of loose ends that Bo had never been able to figure out. But why would Skye do such a thing?

Trish broke into his thoughts with a quiet voice. "And you have the nerve to tell me that I don't know what love is. Maybe you should ask Skye if she does"

Without another word Bo turned his back on Trish and headed for the front door.

He hadn't taken two steps when he heard Trish scream in fury. He turned in time to see Luke grabbing Trish by the arm, holding it in the air. In her hand was a knife. The stainless steel blade caught the light of the lamps in the room and seemingly winked at him. He shuddered realising how close a call he'd just had.

"I wouldn't try anything if I were you" Luke told her, his voice deceptively calm.

The knife fell from her hand. She turned and threw herself onto a nearby couch, dramatically sobbing huge gulps of tears.

Bo sighed, resigned to the fact that no one had won tonight. He walked to the door, closing it behind him on Trish and her drama.

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"How could you? _Why_ would you?"

Daisy paced the lounge of the Duke farm.

After Skye had revealed that she'd helped Trish convince Bo that he was the father of her baby, Daisy had fired questions at Skye while Jesse had made coffee and quietly observed the situation. Though he had kept his silence, he was just as interested in Skye's answers as Daisy was.

"You wouldn't understand" Skye answered, for what had to be the millionth time. In fact, it had become her answer to everything.

"Your right, I don't understand" Daisy snapped, frustrated. "After everything this family has done for you, there's no way I could understand why you would do something like this. And to Bo especially"

Daisy resumed pacing, determined to hit a nerve of any kind to force some emotion from Skye. How could she sit there so calm, resigned to the fact that she was guilty? Didn't she want to argue her case? Reveal her reasons for her betrayal? Daisy didn't understand her attitude, and that made her all the more angry. She stood in front of Skye and played, what she hoped would be, her trump card.

"How could you do this to Bo? He adores you. He's been so good to you. I thought you cared for him"

"I do care for him Daisy, more than you could know" came the murmured reply.

Daisy gave an unladylike snort. "Well, you've got a fine way of showing it"

"I _had_ to do it" Skye repeated, raising her voice just slightly.

It occurred to Jesse that he'd never heard the girl raise her voice before, though the tone she'd just used was still little more than a level conversation.

"Why?" Daisy prodded.

"Because …" Skye stopped herself just in time. She could never reveal the real reason behind her actions. She looked at Jesse sitting in his easy chair, watching her with kindly eyes.

It was well known through the county that Jesse Duke was a man that would do anything for his family. Maybe he would understand why she had done what she had, but even if he didn't, she knew that he wouldn't judge her for it.

She looked at Daisy, whose folded arms and tapping foot screamed impatience. She couldn't tell them that she'd been so scared of losing Bo she'd agreed to deal with the devil herself.

She sighed. "You wouldn't understand"

A heartbeat passed, and then Daisy threw her hands up in the air and stormed out of the house.

Skye looked back at Jesse. "I'm so sorry" she whispered.

The old man nodded. "I know you are. But I also know that your running from something that's become much bigger than you. And I know that it's eating you up inside something terrible"

He waited a moment, watching as Skye hung her head and twisted her fingers.

"What we assume could be the worst thing to happen isn't always as bad as what ends up happening," he noted wisely.

The tears falling down her cheeks told him that she knew exactly what he meant.

* * *

There was a gathering at the farm that night, and no one was happy.

The farmhouse had been the gathering place of some of the greatest highlights of family ties; graduations, weddings, births, Luke's return from Vietnam, among other regular gatherings. But tonight there was an air of tension surrounding the home. Mistrust, disbelief, and confusion all grouped together in an invisible mist of human emotion. It settled right above the group of people assembled in the cosy lounge.

Jesse, Luke, Daisy, Bo, Matt and Skye, all sat in silence, each pondering what they knew and who would be the first to state the obvious. No one seemed to want to start the conversation that none in the room wanted to be part of yet someone had to say the words that would open Pandora's box.

Skye felt like an intruder in a place where she had always felt at home. She hadn't missed the look that her brother had given her when he arrived, though he had yet to say anything to her, she knew that he was utterly disappointed. Luke and Bo had arrived back from speaking with Trish, and while Luke had schooled his features to block anything from showing, Skye knew that he had to be as disappointed as her own brother was. Bo hadn't even looked at her, which in itself spoke volumes.

She wanted to flee, run as far as she could, but she knew that she needed to stay and make things right.

Despite the intense beating of her heart and the fine tremor of her hands, she got to her feet and addressed the group.

"I need to talk to Bo. Alone"

No one missed her emphasis on the alone part.

As his family watched on, Bo stood and with a heavy heart lead Skye to a room at the back of the house that served as an office as well as a spare room when needed. It was far enough away that they could speak, loudly if need be, and not be overheard.

Skye rubbed her nervous hands down her jean clad thighs, and preceded Bo into the small room.

Bo moved to the far side of the room and sat in one of the overstuffed comfy chairs. The last rays of the evening sun streamed through the bay window and caught the profile of his face. A face she had committed to memory years ago. She knew every groove caused by laughter, every freckle caused by hard work in the outdoors, knew what every trace of emotion that crossed his face meant, and could tell by just looking at his eyes what mood he was in. She knew these things better than any lover he'd had, and he'd never known. Until tonight.

Bo looked at her expectantly; waiting for her to explain away the awful wrong she had done to their friendship, to him. But she knew she couldn't explain it away, couldn't magically make it all disappear the way she knew he wanted her to. All she could do was, finally, tell him the truth. And this would mean revealing herself to him in a way that she had never done with another person. It would also be the last thing she did as his friend. She was about to deal the bond a deathblow. In her heart she grieved for what never could have been and for the loss of a friendship so dear. However, there was no going back, things had gone too far. Her cowardice had let things culminate to this, now she had to deal with it. Her one consolation was the knowledge that Trish had lost Bo as well.

"I guess you already know the story" she started, refusing to believe that Trish hadn't told him everything just to hurt him.

Bo kept his gaze on her, steely and determined. She barely recognised the warm hearted soul she knew lay beneath the cold penetrating look he gave her.

"How about you just assume I know nothing," he said "and you can tell me the whole sordid tale."

Skye nodded her head once, clasped her hands together to keep the tremble from becoming a violent shaking, and walked to the other side of the huge bay window.

"I don't know where to begin" Skye murmured almost to herself.

"Here's a clue," Bo snipped "Try the beginning"

His attitude was so cold, she knew it was less than she deserved, but it still came as a shock to see the other side of Bo.

She started to pace, hoping that the steady movement would help juggle her thoughts into a more understandable thread of reasoning.

"I really never meant for you to get hurt"

Bo looked at her in mock disbelief. "Really?"

"Ok, so you don't believe me. I can accept that"

Bo simply shook his head and went back to gazing out the window.

"I'm waiting Skye"

"I was at the party that night because Trish had demanded that I be there. She had told me that she needed my help with something. I had found out that she was pregnant before anyone else knew"

When Bo raised his eyebrows in question, she elaborated, "I saw her buying a home test kit the first week that she was here. She swore me to secrecy, and as I didn't know her that well I figured it wouldn't be something that anyone I knew would be interested in. Trouble started happening when she found out that I knew you. She told me that she was interested in you and wanted me to make an introduction. I made the mistake of telling her that I knew your type pretty well and that you probably wouldn't be interested in her"

Skye laughed without humour. "She doesn't take rejection to well"

She walked to the opposite end of the room, deciding to skip the terrible argument that she and Trish had had over the introduction conversation. Some of the things that Trish had said had haunted Skye for days afterwards. Trish had done her homework and knew when and how to strike. However, as far as Skye was concerned, Bo didn't need to know all the details.

Keeping her eyes towards the window meant having her back to Bo, and that meant she wouldn't have to see the look of loathing that would surely cross his beautiful face when she told him the rest of the story.

Bo remained silent, so Skye continued.

"Trish came to me a few days before the party, again asking me to set up an introduction with you. Again I told her that I didn't feel comfortable doing so. That's when she told me that she was in trouble. The father of her baby was in jail and her folks didn't like him. When I pointed out that she was old enough to make her own choice she told me that if her folks knew that she was pregnant by this guy they would disinherit her. As far as she was concerned, it was bad enough that they had bought a house in Hazzard and sent her to life here. Simple life just wasn't for her. But her parents money speaks louder than anything else, so Trish needed to keep them happy. As far as I was concerned this was none of my business. That's when she told me that she wanted to meet you to see if you would be willing to go along with acting as her boyfriend to appease her parents. Soon they will discover that Trish is pregnant and they are not going to be happy. She tried to get rid of the baby but she'd left it too late. I told her that you're not the kind of man that would go along with such a ploy"

Skye paused a moment to catch her breath and arrange her thoughts. She ran a trembling hand over her face.

"Trish had a bombshell that she saved for last" she continued, watching the moon rise up from the hills. "She knew something about me that I didn't think anyone else would ever learn. I still don't know how she found out, but the point was that she knew. All I had to do to keep my secret safe was ensure that no one disturbed her while she set you up. I knew that it would ruin our friendship, but I figured it was better than the alternative that she had suggested. Anything would have been better than that"

A moment passed before Bo asked, "What did Trish know that you didn't want me to know?"

Skye shook her head.

"I already know that your in love with me and have been for some time"

Skye took a deep breath at Bo's hushed words. So he knew. Well, thought he knew, she smiled.

At Skye's continued silence, Bo continued.

"Keeping a crush a secret is no reason to destroy a friendship, or put me through what I've been through these last few months"

Skye laughed out loud, finally turning to face Bo. "A crush" she smiled. "That's what you think I did this for. A love that you see as a silly schoolgirl crush? Well, your wrong Bo. I didn't do it because I happen to be in love with you. I'm not a schoolgirl, and what I feel for you is definitely not a crush. I want you with every part of my being. I know you better than anyone you have ever been with yet you barely know me!"

Frustrated, she walked past him and stood in front of the old fireplace.

"No, Bo, I didn't do this to protect my love for you. I did it because there was something I truly did not want anyone, especially you, knowing about me"

Bo frowned. He thought this had been nothing more than a crush that had blossomed into love. Sky was right, she wasn't a schoolgirl, and the more he thought about it the more he realised he didn't really know her. Once again he had jumped to a conclusion that had made him look a fool. Only this time he was a fool in Skye's eyes, and that mattered to him a lot more than falling for Trish's lines.

"Skye" he said now, with frustrated feeling. "I need to know what it was that she knew that made you so willing to sacrifice a friendship that has lasted for so many years…"

"Don't forget ruining a love that would never be anyway" she interrupted softly.

Bo frowned again. Sooner or later he and Skye would have to explore these new feelings between them. But he didn't know when and he wasn't sure that anything would indeed come of it. At least not until he knew the truth.

"What secret is worth this kind of betrayl?"

* * *


	15. Chapter 15

* * *

"Wonder what's going on in there" Daisy mused aloud.

It had been only a short time since Skye and Bo had gone to the back room, but it felt like hours to the people waiting in the living room.

Luke got to his feet and wandered around the room.

Jesse continued to feign interest in a newspaper he'd already read twice that day.

And while Matt kept his focus on the room at the back of the house, Daisy shuffled in her seat.

No one was comfortable with the situation, but no one seemed to know how to broach the subject either.

Luke leaned a forearm on the mantle above the aged brick fireplace and looked over the group.

"Matt" he said quietly, "Do you have any idea what's going on?"

Matt slowly turned his attention to Luke, vaguely noticing that both Jesse and Daisy were looking at him expectantly.

If they believed that he ad the answers they needed, they were wrong. His sister had never kept secrets from him before, but her actions of late had put her in a new light. He felt he had to defend her, but he wasn't sure from what or how.

"I have no idea. No idea at all" he sighed.

"I'm as lost as you are about this. All I know is that she must have had a damn good reason or she wouldn't have done it"

Luke nodded. "Could it be that Trish is blackmailing her with something or maybe has threatened her in some way?"

Matt shrugged. "With what? You all know that Skye has lived the life of a …"

"Naïve country girl?" Daisy supplied.

Matt smiled. "I may not have been the best person to raise her after our folks died; I had no idea about girl stuff. What I did know was boy stuff, and the stuff I knew made me not quite inclined to allow my sister to form certain attachments. Maybe that wasn't such a good thing"

Jesse shook his head. "I had the same problem with Daisy. Different rules for her than the boys. Of course the difference between Daisy and Skye is one of circumstances. I had more help than you did, son. You did right by your sister the only way you knew how. And for that no one can blame you. Indeed, I would think that your parents would be well pleased with the way that young one has turned out. You too"

Matt smiled uncertainly. "Well, I still have no idea what she could be hiding that would cause this much grief"

Daisy walked over to the couch and sat beside Matt. "We all have things that we don't want other folks knowing about. Part of human nature is the need to put on the face that we think others prefer to see from us. We're lead to believe that if we show our weaknesses we will be vilified because of them. So we pretend that we have none. Whatever Skye is hiding may be a simple thing to us. But to her it's something so big that she would rather die that have people know about. That's gold in the hands of someone like Trish"

Luke smirked. "You know, those psychology classes you took at Texas U only made you more harder to understand"

All three men chuckled.

Daisy smiled at the good-natured ribbing. She was used to it. Growing up surrounded by men had made her immune to their friendly taunts, especially when she had announced that she was applying to Texas University to study law and psychology. Bo and Luke had ribbed her about being able to speak her mind well enough as it was.

"What I mean" she said, "is that Skye's reason, whatever it is, could be based on something that we all think of as no big deal, and not something that we would worry about or allow someone to hold over us. However, to Skye, it's a different matter. She's a highly private person who is unused to worldly-wise women like Trish. Add to the fact that Skye often feels inferior to most people and you have yourself a lamb being led to slaughter"

Luke nodded at the thought. "We had guys in the Marines who were fooled by the Viet Cong when they were captured. The Viet Cong wanted information and they were experts at telling people what they wanted to hear, making friends out of them, even going as far to ensure that certain prisoners received more food and better accommodation, to ensure that they got that information. They often worked on the weakest, the ones that showed their fear, or had been isolated in some way. Those were the kind of guys that would respond to even the smallest act of kindness. Of course, once the Cong had what they wanted, they disposed of the informer"

"Just like Trish tried when she felt Skye was getting too close to Bo" Daisy noted.

Luke looked over at Matt. Seeing him frown his heart jumped.

"What is it?"

Matt looked up and sighed. "Well, there was something going on in Texas that Skye refused to ever tell me about. Whatever it was, it was the main reason that she came home from University before finishing her degree. I just always assumed that she couldn't handle the big city life and having to be surrounded by all those nameless faces. But now…"

He got to his feet and walked to the other side of the room. Watching the hallway that led down to the room where his sister and his best friend were holed up, he mused about some of the changes he'd noticed in her after she'd returned to Hazzard. They had been subtle and he'd been sure he'd missed most of them, until now. Now as he thought about her actions, her words, her tendency to stay around the house more than normal for even her, he couldn't help but wonder what else he'd missed.

"Matt" Luke prompted.

Matt looked back over at the Dukes. The best friends he'd ever, would ever know. He wanted desperately to make this right for them, but he had no idea how. What had Skye done? Why had she done it? Had there really been no other way? Why hadn't she come to him?

He shook his head. "Luke I really don't know what's going on. But the more I think about it, the more I think there's a part of Skye that I have no idea about"

Luke nodded his understanding.

"Whatever it is, she's doing the right thing now"

Jesses folded his paper. "Well," he said, getting up from his chair, "the best thing we can do is be supportive of them both. And for now, we need to show that support by going to the Boar's Nest for a while"

"What?" Daisy and Matt asked in shocked unison.

Jesse smiled. "Do you think it's doing that boy any good knowing that we're all out here just waiting to hear all about it? Do you think us being here is making it any easier for Skye to talk to him?"

When no one had an answer, Jesse smiled.

"That's what I thought"

He walked to the back door, collecting his cap as he went. "Let's go down some cold ones"

Luke, Daisy and Matt stood stunned for a moment before they followed the wise old patriarch.

* * *

Trish had finally come to a decision.

She'd been pacing the floor all night wondering how to get Bo back on side, how to extract revenge, how to make Skye disappear, how to make everyone pay. She had been about to give up and move back to her parents home, when a small light of understanding suddenly dawned on her.

She realised that if Skye told Bo the truth about why she'd gone along with Trish's plan, there was a good chance, a great one actually, that Bo would be furious. There was no way that the man was going to just hug her and forgive her. Not when he knew the whole ugly truth. And because Skye was so in love with him, it would break her heart if Bo stopped speaking to her. However, Trish knew Bo well enough to know that once he'd had time to process the information he would probably make up with Skye.

So, Trish decided, she had to stop that from happening.

She came to the conclusion that the only way to do that would be to ensure that Skye was distracted. Preferably by someone else.

Trish smiled with glee at the possibilities. It would be easy enough to call one of her former flames and convince them that they would be well compensated for a few weeks acting.

As she pondered the men that she still maintained contact with, she mentally checked off the attributes she would need in him. Someone that that could easily and quickly talk Skye around to his way of thinking. Someone that could convince her that she was the only thing in his universe, woo her in a way that a mouse like her wouldn't be able to resist.

"That should be easy," she snorted. It would be very easy indeed to ensure that Skye was flattered by another man while she was feeling so rejected by Bo.

"My poor little heart bleeds for her"

Trish knew her time was limited though. No doubt, good-hearted Skye was spilling the beans to Bo right now. Trish needed to get someone to accept her offer tonight.

Picking up the phone, she smiled. She knew just the man for the job.

* * *


	16. Chapter 16

ANYTHING FOR YOU Chapter 16

The house had fallen quiet.

Skye sensed a change in the atmosphere, and knew that the time had come.

As she gazed out the window she wondered if there was any way that she could disappear into the furnishings. If she were invisible she wouldn't be able to see her troubles, surely, and she certainly wouldn't be able to see the man sitting behind her.

Bo was still reclined in the same chair, still waiting patiently, but that patience had almost run its course.

Skye didn't have to look at him to know that he was leaning his elbows on his knees, his composure relaxed though he would he would be watching her with a hawk like stare, willing her to tell him that this was all a big mistake and that things would be fine once she explained her actions.

And that was something she couldn't do. She had betrayed something sacred to both of them and she was pretty sure there was no going back. Not once he knew the whole truth.

"Skye, this is getting old real quick"

Frustration was mounting in him. She knew that it would not be in her best interests to get him angry before she told him the bad news. He would be angry enough without risking more fallout due to her stalling.

"Bo, I'm so sorry. I really am."

She finally turned around and faced him; that much she owed him.

She took a deep breath to gather her courage, tried to ignore the feeling of sawdust in her mouth and the hollow in her stomach.

"May as well start at the beginning," she smiled.

"Well, as you know, I went to Texas to further my schooling. But while I was there I found out something that sent my life off on a rather unstoppable train wreck.

I was invited to take part in a genealogy experiment. One of the professors wanted to see if she could prove the theory that all humans have one similar stream of DNA in them. Which would prove that we all came from one set of parents. So I called Matt and had him send a blood sample to Texas so that the professor could compare our DNA link to others she had…"

Catching Bo's look of confusion, Skye noted, "The professor and her theory don't really matter. The point is that I agreed to take part in this study. When she tried to trace my line of DNA she had trouble linking it to Matt's"

"What does that mean?" Bo asked.

"That's what I wanted to know. So the professor agreed to do a little further investigating for me. Well, to make a long story short, the more the woman looked the less she found of me."

"What does that mean?"

Skye sighed. Here came the first hurdle to vault.

"It means that I simply didn't exist as a Hardy until I was about 2 years old"

It took a moment for the information to sink in. When it did, Skye saw the depths of Bo's eyes darken in colour.

"You were adopted," he murmured.

Skye nodded, watching for any of the signs of revulsion she had been sure she would see in his face. There was nothing but compassion.

"Does Matt know?"

"No, and he still doesn't"

"Aw, honey, I'm so sorry you had to find out like that. You must have gone through hell"

Skye smiled at the sincerity from Bo. It was just like him to worry about someone else even when his own world was falling apart. And he hadn't heard the worst of it yet. He had no idea how much hell she had indeed gone through, why she had really delayed coming home for all those months.

In for a penny in for a pound, she thought as she mentally shook herself and faced the window again. For all her earlier bravado, she really couldn't bring herself to look him in the face when she told him the rest.

"I went a little bit stupid after I found out. I had this weird feeling of detachment, like I didn't belong anywhere. The family that I had based my life around was no longer my own. And I had all these questions about my life. Where were my real parents? Why did they give me up? Was I just not good enough?"

Skye heard Bo get up from the chair and walk up behind her. But just when he would have given her comfort she held her hand up and stopped him.

"I know what you're going to say. It'll be something nice and heart warming like the professor spent weeks telling me. How lucky I was that the Hardy's choose me as their own. How better my life was with them. After all, who knows what kind of people my real parents were. And I grew up knowing that I was loved. Even after the accident, Matt has never made me feel less of a person because I got all silly in my talking. He spent hours coaching me, teaching me and encouraging me to keep going even when folks like Trish made life hell for me"

The mention of Trish's name suddenly bought things back to the reason they were having this conversation. Even though Bo stayed right behind her, Skye felt him withdraw a little.

"Like I said, I went a little silly. I don't know why but I had this need to suddenly prove that I wasn't always the good little girl everyone saw. I wanted to prove that I could be wild and free just like my other classmates. So I started going out to parties with them. Drinking a lot, stumbling home at all hours, faking sobriety whenever Matt called to see how things were going. I cut classes and sped down motorways, just for the thrill of it. The professor told me that I was displaying signs of posttraumatic stress, apparently quite common when someone has a huge shock like this. Whatever it was, I didn't care. All I cared about was tempting the fates, to see how far I could get to the edge and still be able to come back"

Skye sighed. Turning sideways she glanced at Bo from under her lashes. He was still standing there; ready to catch her if she fell, ready to offer comfort in any way that he could.

"Then one night I discovered that I wasn't invincible"

She nervously rubbed her hands together and walked over to the fireplace. Distance, she needed distance.

Bo moved forward again, more intent this time on holding her. Once again, Skye stopped him. She couldn't handle him being nice to her.

"Don't,"

"Skye let me hold you"

"Don't be nice to me Bo," she pleaded. "You have no idea what I've done"

Bo sighed. "Nothing you tell me could make me think any less of you."

A short bubble of laughter burst from Skye's throat before she could stop it.

Bo frowned. "Ok, carry on then"

With a brief nod, Skye turned and started pacing again, planning on getting the story out in one epic speech. Or so she hoped.

"I don't know what I was trying to prove, partying and taking risks that I never would have dreamed of before. One night I went to a club with friends, and that's where I met him. He was like one of those distinguished men in those novels that I read. Tall, good looking, strong, educated, well dressed, and he smelt heavenly. He was a lot older than me, but I didn't care, he made me feel wanted and beautiful. It was just what I needed at just the right time. We drank, we danced, we didn't talk a lot though. And that was a mistake – one of many I would make that night. By the time the bar closed it was around 2am. I'd had far too much to drink and I wasn't used to the kind of liquor I'd been downing. It's little wonder that I ended up in a sleazy hotel room with him"

Skye didn't see the flash of pain that flittered across Bo's face.

"I awoke in his arms hours later. It took me a while to recall how I'd gotten there, but when I did I felt so disgusted and dirty. I slipped out of bed, got dressed and left him without a note. I thought I'd never see him again. I figured that I could just put it down to a bad experience and never think of it again. That hope died when I arrived back here and met Trish"

Bo frowned, "What's she have to do with it?"

Skye turned and smiled sadly at Bo. "The man I slept with turned out to be Trish's father"

Bo was sure he heard his jaw hit the floor. "Oh" he said dumbly.

"Trish didn't know about her fathers infidelity, neither did her mother. But when she overheard her father and I talking one day, she was quick to figure it out."

"Why would she have overheard you two talking if you had planned to never see him again?"

Skye ignored the slight tone of accusation in his voice. "I was helping out at the bakery a couple of days a week, and Trish's mother had ordered some snacks for a lunch party she was giving. I delivered them out to the house, and it was her father that answered the door. He took the opportunity to remind me that his wife didn't know about me and that id I had designs on him leaving her for me I'd be best to forget it. 'It was fun while it lasted, Toots' he said."

Skye paused, lost in thought. "He couldn't have hurt me more if he'd tried"

She didn't see Bo's hands clenched tightly into fists, nor the dark look in his eyes.

"The funny thing is, I didn't want to see him again. It was just bad luck that he was there when I made the delivery. It was further bad luck that Trish happened to be in the hallway while we were talking. All he did that day was emphasise every detail that I'd tried to wipe from memory, every reason I had been so stupid in the first place. Oh, how I hated him!"

She turned back to the window, knowing the worst was over. Whatever Bo had felt about her was surely by now, just a flickering flame on a candle. She was now about to snuff it out for good.

"I received a call from Trish that night. She told me that she knew I was having an affair with her father, and that she was going to reveal it to everyone, unless I helped her with a little problem that she had. And that's how the plan to trick you came into play. Trish was already pregnant and she knew that her father would disinherit her if he knew about the father of the baby being in jail. Apparently it's okay for daddy to fool around, but there's no forgiveness for anyone else that brings shame on the family name. Before I knew it, I had agreed to go along with her plan"

Skye now turned and faced Bo, needing to look him in the eye for this part.

"I would have died if anyone had found out about her father and I. I wouldn't have been able to handle the questions and the looks. I wouldn't have been able to handle Matt's disappointment. I decided to opt for the lesser of two evils. I helped Trish trick you into believing that you were the father of her baby. All the while my heart broke for you. I wanted to tell you, and so many times I almost did, but I just couldn't bear the shame."

Skye stopped and waited. She'd laid it all out, the truth and nothing but the truth. Now it was up to Bo.

She expected him to be angry, confused, hurt, or bewildered.

What she didn't expect was for him to turn around and, without a word, walk out of the room.

*********************************************************************


	17. Chapter 17

ANYTHING FOR YOU Chapter 17

It was the muffled sound of crying coming from across the landing that bought Matt awake.

He opened one reluctant eye to look at the clock beside his bed. 6am.

Groaning, he rolled over. He and the Dukes had been out until midnight. Thinking they had given Skye and Bo more than enough time to hash things out, they had arrived back at the farmhouse only to find it empty. Matt wasn't the least bit worried though. He just assumed that Bo had taken her somewhere private to talk in case anxious family members disturbed them. He suppressed a grin recalling how eager Daisy had been to go home and see what had happened. Luke had practically had to sit on her to make her stay. Deciding to wait at home for his sister, Matt had instead succumbed to sleep in the early morning hours. Now the fingers of sleep tempted him back into submission. A quick glance out the window convinced him to squeeze both eyes shut. The rays of the new dawn tapped impatiently against his eyelids. And that sobbing sounded just like… "Skye!"

He was out of bed and halfway to his sister's room before his brain registered that his legs had moved. He opened the door to her room and peered inside. It was dimly lit with the same dawn light as his own, yet he couldn't make out her shape in the bed. He wandered over to the bathroom door.

"Skye" he called, knocking softly.

The sobbing suddenly stopped. Matt sighed. Skye was such a sensitive soul, yet she hated for him to see her reduced to tears.

"Skye" he called again.

"Go away Matty, I'm fine"

"Sure don't sound like it"

"Well, I am. Now please go away"

Yeah right, Matt thought. "What happened last night?"

"I told the truth" came the strangled reply.

"And"

There was a pause. "And he walked out" she sobbed. "Without a word, he just up and walked out"

Matt could understand how Bo must have felt, but listening to his sister's heart wrenching sobs still made his blood boil at his friend's reaction.

"Skye, can I come in?"

"No" she yelled. "I don't want anyone to see me ever again. I'm disgusting and dirty and worthless"

Matt had no idea what she was talking about. "What have you done that's so wrong?" he asked.

Hysterical laughter came from the other side of the door.

"I hope you will never know"

"Skye, I'm coming in…"

"No Matt. Just leave me alone!"

"I'm your brother, let me help"

"GO AWAY!"

The sheer anger in her voice brokered no further discussion.

Matt waited a few moments, listening to the continued sobbing, before he went to the phone in his room.

He knew exactly who to call.

The new dawn found the Dukes home in the same sort of uneasiness.

Though Bo had been up all night, he was still wired. He'd gone for a long walk planning to cool down and then returning to talk to Skye. But by the time he'd arrived back at the farm, Skye had gone. Worried about her state of mind and what might happen to her out by herself, he'd gone looking for her. It took him an hour or so to realise that she'd probably gone home. He'd turned up, knocked on the door, saw her shadow in the lamplight of the lounge, but she refused to open the door. So he'd called out to her and even hammered on the door demanding that she come out and speak to him. When she still refused to open the door, he got mad. After all, he was the grieved party. Why was she acting like it was him who had let her down?

So he had left her with a parting shot that was sure to cut.

"You know what Skye? I thought you were different, I thought you were special. Turns out I was wrong. I guess you are just like all the other girls after all"

He winced as he recalled the hastily uttered words. By the time he had arrived back at the farm, Luke, Jesse and Daisy were all asleep. Bo had made a pot of strong coffee and sat at the table to take stock of the night's events.

And that's where Luke found him a few hours later.

"How'd it go?" he asked without preamble.

Bo remained silent. Luke set about starting breakfast. He then sat across from Bo and looked at his younger cousins downcast eyes.

"Want to talk about it?"

Bo sighed. "I wouldn't know where to begin. I know why she did it. I know that she meant no malice by doing it. She was in a corner she couldn't get out of and her only escape was to agree to go along with what Trish wanted. Skye has never been up against something like that before. Trish was going to destroy her. Of course Skye would panic. What else was she going to do? I get all that"

Luke remained quiet while Bo sounded out his feelings.

"What I don't get is why she didn't come to me. I know she didn't want Matt to know about her past, but she still should have known that she could tell me anything. I would have helped her." He paused and shrugged. "I just don't get that"

Luke had no idea about what Bo was referring to when he talked about Skye's past, and despite wanting to know, he continued to maintain his silence.

"Maybe I should go and see her, try to talk to her again"

Luke shook his head.

"I think it's best if you both just took some time to cool off a little. Harsh things can be said in the heat of the moment and it's usually those things that hurt the worst"

When he saw Bo wince at his last comment, Luke knew that things had already hit a low between the two.

"Oh, Bo' he sighed, sympathetically. "I'm sure she knows you didn't mean it"

Bo shook his head. "After all she told me last night, I told her I wouldn't think any different about her. But then my temper got the better of me and I said the worst thing I could have" He lifted misted eyes to meet his cousins. "I hurt her real bad, Luke. And I'm not sure I can fix it"

Bo got up from the table and left the house, leaving Luke to wonder what other troubles the new day would bring.

********************************************************************


	18. Chapter 18

ANYTHING FOR YOU Chapter 18

Noises in her head became louder than her outside grief. She couldn't cry loud enough to block out the pictures and sounds that tormented her inside.

Pictures of Bo's face when she told him the truth. The ways that his expression had changed as she'd heaped on revelation on top of another. The sounds that he's made as he'd learned of her betrayal. The sound of the door slamming behind him as he left her.

That thud echoed in her mind now; finality to a friendship and a death knoll to something that may never have been more than that anyway.

Now, no matter how hard she cried she couldn't shut out the noises or the pictures. She'd been sobbing so long there were no tears left, yet her body kept reacting. Her cheeks stung from the spent emotion, her muscles were cramped from being in a foetal position for so long. She had nothing left in her, could barely feel her toes or fingers, was sure that her heart was physically broken…and still she cried.

Across town Bo was meeting with Matt in a quiet part of the Boars Nest.

"She's in a real bad way" Matt confided to his oldest friend. "I've never heard her cry that way, or seen her just shut herself off from everything like that. It's like she's just given up. I don't mind telling you, I'm worried"

Bo placed his glass of beer back on the table and looked Matt in the eye.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Matt smiled with affection.

"You are soft hearted when it comes to my sister. Sure, she did you wrong in the worst way. But I'm guessing that she told you why she did so, and your torturing yourself with guilt because she didn't feel she could come to you in the first place. I'm also guessing that you've vented the anger about her betrayl and are now more interested in fixing things with her rather than holding a grudge."

Bo kept his eyes on his beer but smiled at his friend's accurate insight.

"Do you know why she did it?" he asked Matt.

"No, and I really don't need to know why"

Bo suspected that Matt actually knew more about the situation than he let on, especially about Skye being adopted. Bo was sure, however, that Matt had no idea what Skye had been doing while she was away or the deal that she's agreed to with Trish in order to keep her secrets secret.

Thinking about Skye's troubles bought one constant thought to Bo. The fact that he was annoyed that she had spent the night in another man's arms. And over the last 24 hours that had led him to realise that he was jealous that it hadn't been his arms she had sought. He wasn't used to feelings that ran this deep, especially about little Skye. However, he was slowly noticing that she was no longer the kid he had always doted on. She was now a woman. Could it be that love had actually snuck up on him?

Knowing that she was suffering because of what she had done saddened him. Of course he would do anything he could to help her. Most of all he wanted the chance to prove to her that her friendship was still important to him. And not only friendship, he now acknowledged. He wanted the chance to explore these new feelings he had for her, and hoped that she would be receptive to the idea as well. However, that meant making a move before she sought someone else for comfort or, worse yet, lost herself in the grief.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked Matt.

By the time the light of day had given way to another evening, Skye had made a decision.

She no longer cared what Bo Duke thought of her. He obviously didn't care about her as much as her foolish heart had believed. All these years she'd assumed that someday, somehow, Bo would look at her and see his future. Now she knew better. Her childish fantasies were just that – childish. She was a woman now and she needed to move on with her life like a real woman would.

The first step would be to purge Bo Duke from her system. And so it was that she found herself outside a bar in the neighbouring county. It was a bar that was known to be frequented by long haul truckers looking for a comforting pair of arms for just one night before moving on to their next stop.

This, she decided, would be the beginning of her new life and the end of her fantasy of happy ever after with Bo Duke.

As she swung the door open and entered the dark, smoky atmosphere, she kissed Bo goodbye and got ready to embrace whatever came along next.

"Do you know where she may have gone?" Bo asked Matt.

They had arrived back at the Hardy home to find Skye had left. A note on the kitchen counter told Matt that she was going out to have some 'fun' and that she wasn't sure what time she would be home.

Knowing the state of mind that she was in, and the state of mind that she'd been in the last time she'd gone looking for 'fun' Bo was more than anxious.

"Wait a minute" Matt said, snapping his fingers. "I'll call the cab company and see if they collected a fare from here. Hopefully they will be able to tell us where they dropped her off"

As Matt went to the phone, Bo added quietly, "And hopefully she'll still be there…alone"

The last time Skye had tried to have fun like everyone else, she'd ended up in bed with Trish's father, and that had lead to the current troubles. Although Bo hoped that Skye had done nothing more than go and see a movie, in his heart he knew that the darker side of Skye had come out to play again. There was no telling what trouble she would get into this time. An image of Skye in the arms of a stranger flashed before his eyes. The immediate stab of jealousy took him by surprise, but was a feeling he was now getting used to. He wasn't slow. He knew that he was in love with Skye Hardy. Maybe a part of him always had been. The more he recognised it, the more urgent his need to find her.

"Bingo!" Matt's triumph interrupted Bo's thoughts. "Cab Company says they picked her up from here about an hour ago, and dropped her off at a place called Last Resort. It's over in the next county. Some kind of bar hangout for truckers."

Figured, Bo thought.

"Okay, you stay here in case she calls. In the meantime, I'll drive over there and see if I can find her"

Matt hesitated for a moment.

"Come on, Matt" Bo coaxed. "You know she isn't going to take to well to her big brother dragging her out of there. I have a better chance of getting her out of there than you do"

Matt smiled, recalling all the times that Skye had threatened him bodily harm if he interfered in her business. Let someone else feel her wrath for once.

"Okay" he smiled. "She's all yours"

I wish, Bo thought, heading for the door.

"So, we meet again, pretty girl"

Skye turned at the baritone voice of a man she knew only too well.

Randolph Stevenson the third.

A distinguished name for a not so distinguished gentleman.

"Mr. Stevenson" she greeted him, twirling the straw in her drink.

"Mr?" he smiled. "That's rich considering what you called me over and over the last time we were in such intimate surroundings"

Skye refused to let her cheeks burn with embarrassment at the memory of the names she'd called him in the throes of passion. Surely there was some unspoken rule that they didn't count in the light of day?

"I thought you made it clear you didn't want to see me again" she noted, referring to the day at the house when Trish had overheard them.

"Come on," he laughed. "You know I had to make it look good"

Skye shrugged her shoulders, deciding that she would never understand the male species.

"What brings you here?" he asked, inviting himself to sit on the stool next to hers.

"Just out for a drink"

"Uh huh, that's what you said last time too"

Skye chose to ignore him as he signalled the bartender for another drink.

"Another?" he asked, motioning to her still half full glass.

She arched an eyebrow in his direction. "Trying to get me drunk so you can get laid again?"

Randolph's bushy eyebrows hit his hairline with the straightforward question, but he decided against playing the subtle game. If she wanted to be direct, so be it.

"Would it help?" he asked.

Skye laughed. She downed the remains of her drink in one long sensuous swallow that had Randolph practically swallowing his tongue.

"No need to get me plastered tonight" she smiled, leaning forward to slip her arms around his waist, beneath his suit jacket. As she stoked his back, she pressed her face to the side of his neck.

"I'm ready when you are" she murmured between kisses.

*********************************************************************


	19. Chapter 19

ANYTHING FOR YOU Chapter 19

"Excuse me, I need help finding someone"

The bartender, whose nametag said he was known as Butch, looked at Bo in disbelief.

"This is a bad line from a movie, right?"

Bo smiled. "No, sir, I really am looking for someone. She's about 5'4, has blonde hair and is kind of on the…er…small side"

Butch hooted with laughter. "Small side? You mean as in boobs, butt or frame?"

Bo couldn't stop the blush that tinged his cheeks. "Frame, definitely frame"

Butch was a thick muscled man with a streak of grey tinting his otherwise jet black hair. As he continued with his task of drying beer glasses, he took the time to size the country boy up before deciding whether he could trust him or not.

Finally, he answered, "Yeah, someone like her was here earlier. Downed a couple of my best vodka mixes then left"

The triumph that Bo felt suddenly disappeared. "She left? Do you know where she went?"

The bartender nodded as he took up another glass to dry. "Think she said something about the local No Tell Motel"

Bo sighed with relief. That meant that she would sleep off the booze and head home in the morning. His heart felt lighter already. "Okay, thanks"

As he got up to leave, Butch's next words stopped him cold. "Didn't pick a guy like him for a No Tell Motel customer though"

Bo spun back around. "Guy? What guy?"

Butch shrugged, picking up the tray of now dry glasses. "Some old dude that she seemed to know"

"What makes you think she knows him?"

Butch laughed, replacing the tray of clean glasses and collecting another with dirty ones from the stack behind him.

"Because he no sooner sat down beside her and she was all over him. Two seconds after that they were out the door. That's how I know she knew him"

Bo could feel the colour rush from his face. It had to be Randolph Stevenson, Trish's dad. Why would Skye meet him again, after all the heartache she suffered the last time she was with him. And what if Matt found out? Or Trish for that matter. This could get ugly, quick. Never mind the fact that he was seeing red and thinking of fifty different ways to separate Randolph Stevenson from an important part of his anatomy.

"No Tell Motel, you say?" he asked Butch.

"Yeah" the older man answered. "Head straight down the main road, take a left at the lights and it's the third on your right."

He waited a moment then asked, "Is she someone to you, son?"

Bo sighed. "I had hoped so"

As he left, Butch wondered at the tone of defeat in the young man's voice. Times like these he was glad that he had his Rosie. Thirty years and not a cross word between them.

Of course, that was mainly due to the fact that Rosie had been dead for the last 25 years.

"Oh, wow" Randolph moaned with satisfaction as he flopped onto his back.

Skye let a small giggle escape as she snuggled against his side in the big king size bed.

The No Tell Motel wasn't much to look at, from inside or out. It was what it was designed to be. A pit stop for lovers to escape too for a night before parting in the morning and continuing with their lives as if nothing were different.

"Your not going to patronise me and ask me to tell you that you're the best I've ever had are you?" she joked.

"Honey child, I've had enough women to no longer care about that. I know when I'm the best"

Skye laughed. "Oh really?"

"Uh huh"

"How?"

Randolph lifted his head and looked down at her with a soft smile. "The way they scream my name" he noted without ego.

Skye burrowed her face in his chest hair to hide the tinge of blush on her cheeks.

"So, why did you agree to come here with me tonight?" Randolph asked her. "I mean, we didn't part on the best of terms, and then when I saw you again, I had to put you off. I never would have thought that you would talk to me again let alone share a bed with me"

Skye slowly ran her foot along his calf. The feel of his much coarser hair against her soft skin sent a thrill through her. "Maybe I decided to forgive you," she murmured, running her hand down his chest.

"For what?" he laughed.

"For taking advantage of me that night. And maybe for being so rude to me that day at your house. I mean, you didn't even let me tell you why I was there in the first place. You just flew into a rage about our so called affair and how I shouldn't count on anything happening between us again."

When she looked up and saw the shamed look on Randolph's face, she giggled. "Don't worry," she playfully tugged on his chest hair, then quickly soothed the pain with a kiss, "I forgive you."

As she spread kisses further down his chest, Randolph ran his fingers through her hair.

"You know," he said softly, "we could make a regular thing of this."

Skye slowly worked her way back up his body until she was eye to eye with him.

"Really?" Feeling playful she wiggled a little.

Randolph smiled broadly. "Oh, yeah"

"Well," she sighed, letting her fingers wander through the short length of his greying hair. "What would Trish and your wife think of that?"

Though she was watching his face for telltale signs of indifference or rage, all she saw was a glow of affection that surprised her.

"Randolph" she said, leaning her elbows on his chest, running a finger across his lips. "Is it possible that you have actually developed some kind of feeling for me?"

She felt his heart speed up and his body stir. "Oh I feel a lot more for you than you think. More than I wanted to feel for you."

He rolled her to the side and held her tight in his arms.

"I never wanted to have anything but a one night stand with you. But it was a night I couldn't forget. Then when you turned up on my doorstep I panicked. I couldn't let anyone know that I'd slept with a girl younger than my own daughter! So I reacted rudely and tried to put you down. I deeply regretted it as soon as I closed the door. I knew that Trish had overheard us. And I also knew that she had gone to my wife and informed her of our affair. Unbeknown to the spoilt little brat, my wife had known for years that I was unfaithful. We had reached an agreement that as long as the affairs were discreet, she would ignore them. That way she got to keep the prestige of being a Stevenson and stay in good standing with the girls at the country club. And I got to pursue my own affairs, so to speak. It had been a win-win situation."

"Until you met me" Skye finished.

Randolph smiled against her hair. "I have never felt so young or so alive as I did that night with you. I thought I was seeing things when I saw you in the bar tonight. I was so glad that you were there. And then when you actually agreed to be with me, you can't imagine how that thrilled me."

"Not to mention the great sex too huh," she joked, looking up at him.

"So, I am the best you've ever had" he quipped.

Skye tipped her head back and gave a throaty laugh, which was slowly cut off by Randolph's mouth against her neck. Working his way to her mouth he ran his hands down her back and pulled her flush against him.

Skye smiled into his eyes as he rolled her under him. She ran her hands over his well-muscled shoulders and down his back.

"You really do feel young and alive again don't you" she quipped.

"Baby, you ain't seen nothing yet," he drawled kissing her mouth.

As she lost herself in the sensations of Randolph's lovemaking, she forgot all about her fairytale fantasy with Bo Duke.

By the time Bo arrived at the No Tell Motel he'd managed to take three wrong turns, had to backtrack twice and had managed to disturb a newlywed couple in the motel across the road.

Finally finding the right motel and getting the room number that Skye was in, he now made his way to the door. As he approached he heard sighing and giggling coming from inside though. His heart hoped it was the television, but his head knew better. He was too late. Skye had made her choice.

Even so, as he knocked on the door, he still held out a small glimmer that she was just sitting there waiting for him to come fetch her.

As the door opened and Bo stood face to face with Randolph Stevenson in nothing but a towel, he knew he was wrong.

His eyes moved to the inner sanctuary of the room and took in the mused up bed and the litter of clothes on the floor.

"Hey, Randy, you forgot to scrub my back"

Skye's lighthearted giggle died in her throat when she saw Bo at the door.

*********************************************************************


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"What are you doing here?" Skye asked.

"I could ask you the same" Bo replied.

She clasped her towel a little tighter around her and stood slightly behind Randolph. It couldn't prevent the glare from Bo's eyes almost turning her to toast.

Randolph looked back at Skye. "You know this guy honey?"

"Don't call her that" Bo seethed, his fist clenching.

He couldn't believe that she'd run to this guy. After all she'd been through, she'd run right back to him. He was starting to wonder if he knew her at all.

" Seems like I have more right to call her that than you do" Randolph smiled, squeezing Skye a little closer to his side.

Skye snuggled up to him in an effort to block Bo from her sight.

"Look, I don't know what's going on here," Bo started, and then stopped. "Well, I guess I do, but that's not the point. Skye, get dressed your coming home with me"

"Bo, go home" Skye seethed

Randolph laughed. "She seems to be happy right here with me"

To prove his point, he turned and planted a kiss on the very willing lips of his younger companion.

"What are you doing?" Bo all but yelled at her. "I can't believe that you are here with this guy after all that you told me. Have you forgotten that it was your fling with him that caused Trish to blackmail you in the first place? And that it was the result of that blackmail that almost had me marrying her and being a father to a baby that wasn't mine?"

As silence echoed through the room, Skye clung a little tighter to Randolph. He responded by rubbing her arm in assurance and kissing the top of her head.

"I know what my daughter put Skye through" he told Bo, "and I am not impressed with nor do I support her attempts to trap you into marriage. Trish has been sent back to live with her mother. She crossed the line by trying to pass you off as father to someone else's baby, not to mention the horror she put my Skye through. I have washed my hands of her"

"My Skye?" Bo asked, furious. "What the hell…"

"Bo" Skye interrupted. "I am happy with Randy. We've decided to give things a shot and see how it goes. I thought you'd be pleased that I wouldn't be hanging around waiting for you to throw a crumb my way anymore. Why can't you just be happy for me?"

Bo was stunned.

"Well, if you have nothing more to say…" Randolph started closing the door on Bo.

Bo put his foot in the gap and turned his full attention to Skye.

"You know, I guess I was wrong about you. I thought you were someone special. Someone that I may have had a real chance at love with. But now I see that I was just being made a fool of again. You're a real pro Skye. Have a nice life."

As Bo turned away he saw Randolph taking Skye into his arms to comfort her, and wished that he could recall every word he just said.

* * *

For the rest of the night the image of Skye in Randolph's arms tormented Bo. By 3am he'd given up on the luxury of sleep and headed out to the kitchen for some hot milk.

Jesse had used hot milk and cookies to cure his nightmares when he was a boy still recovering from the horror of losing both his parents.

It was while waiting for the milk to heat in the saucepan that he realised that Skye must be enduring the same sort of pain as he once did. Not only had her parents died, she'd now discovered that they hadn't been her biological parents. It must have felt like she'd lost them all over again. He could only imagine the torment that her heart and mind were going through. He realised this was why she'd been an easy target for Stevenson and then his daughter. He had forgiven her for the betrayal because he saw how she felt that she had no other way out. What he couldn't understand was why she had run to Stevenson again. In his mind the night was meant to have ended differently. She should have been happy to see him, she should have declared her love for him the way he would declare his for her, and it should have been his arms that she spent the night in. Not that … old man's.

After pouring his milk, Bo fetched the cookie jar and sat at the table mulling over ideas on what to do. He only too clearly recalled his parting words to her. Daisy was always telling him that he had a hot temper and a quick mouth.

He had said them in the heat of the moment and didn't really mean them. But how could he tell Skye that jealousy had led him to speak without thinking? He would really have to do some damage control if he wanted Skye to listen to him.

Dunking his cookie in his milk, he continued to wander through a range of possibilities.

* * *

As Randolph pulled into Skye's street she put her hand on his and stopped him. "Don't go any further Randy, let me out here"

"I would feel a lot better if you would let me drive you to your door"

Skye smiled sweetly at him. "And what would folks say about that?"

Randolph sighed. "My wife lives in another county, for all intents and purposes we are divorced. What people say would not worry me, Skye."

"It would worry me" Skye sighed. "I've had enough drama to last me a long time. I don't need anymore."

Randolph put his finger under her chin to tip her head up. "Your right of course. I'm sorry, I was only thinking of how happy I am right now and how much I want to shout about it"

Skye placed a kiss to his fingertip. "Just keep it to a dull whisper for a while ok?"

He laughed heartily as he exited his side of the car, and then helped her from her side.

"You are so good for me" he smiled, slipping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight embrace.

"I'll call you," he added between kisses.

"You better" She smiled as his hands found her rear end and went on tip toe to gain better access to his mouth. He ran his hands up her back to rest on her shoulders as he put some space between their bodies.

"Much more of this and I won't have to worry about what people will think"

She smiled up at him. "No, but you will have to worry about what they see"

As they both laughed, he kissed her forehead and bid her farewell.

Walking down the road to her home, she could have sworn she was walking on air.

* * *

"Where have you been?"

Skye turned to see Matt coming down the stairs. He looked more worried than angry, so she knew his question was of concern rather than malice.

"I needed to get away for a while and just let loose a bit" she told him, opening the fridge to get a bottle of water.

"At the Last Resort?" Matt asked.

Skye frowned at him in confusion. "Huh?"

"Bo and I called the cab company when we found your note. They told us that one of their drivers had dropped you off at a bar called the Last Resort"

"Oh" she laughed. "I didn't really pay any attention to what the place was called"

As she sipped her water she thought she was doing well to hide her surprise that Bo and Matt had checked up on her. How much had Bo told Matt about finding her at a motel? She decided to play it cool for now.

"Skye…"

"Don't fuss Matt" she sighed, returning the bottle to the fridge. "I just went out to have a few drinks, met some folks and had a few laughs"

"And?" Matt prompted.

Uh oh, Skye thought. Trust Bo to run to her big brother and tell him what she had been up to. Maybe this was Bo's way of getting revenge on her.

"And the bartender was a hoot. He had some really funny stories about his wife Rosie…"

"Skye. You've been gone all night"

"I stayed with a friend. I told you I needed some space. So I went out and had a few drinks? Big deal. You and Bo do it all the time"

"But…"

"Look, just let it go, okay?"

Matt sighed long and loud. However, whatever rebuttal he had planned was cut off by the ringing of the telephone.

Skye saw her chance to change the subject, and practically jumped for the handset.

"Hello, Hardy house"

"Hello Miss Hardy" came the devilish charm of Randolph Stevenson.

"Randy" Skye breathed, amazed at the thrill that went through her at just the sound of his voice.

"I just arrived home and got to thinking how lonely it is here"

Aware of her brother's presence and how upset he would be to discover the identity of the caller, she whispered, "Just a minute."

Addressing her brother she noted, "This is a friend that needs to talk. I think I better take it in my room"

"Who is it?" Matt asked, suspicious of his sister's newly covert ways.

Skye practically skipped up the stairs. "Just a friend" she repeated.

Matt was furiously tempted to pick up the landline extension and listen in on the conversation. He knew that Skye was lying to him, but he didn't know why. She had never been so secretive. The siblings had always shared their trials and triumphs, but lately Skye had slipped into a new world. Matt frowned again, thinking that Bo also knew more than he had let on when he had returned from the bar. Bo had looked like a man about to be sent to the gallows, but would only tell him that he had seen Skye with a man and that they seemed to be old friends. She had seemed happy enough, talking and drinking with the guy, so Bo had left. Matt knew his best friend and his sister well enough to know that he was being spun a line.

He had two options. Talk to Bo, or risk the wrath of his sister by asking more questions.

He opted on talking to Bo.

* * *

"Randy, you're taking a risk calling me here. Matt's fit to be tied since I didn't come home last night"

"Did you tell him you were safe in my arms?"

Skye giggled "Of course not. He would have come hunting for you"

"I had to call. I miss you honey"

"It hasn't been that long since you dropped me off"

"Long enough for me to notice that my bed is cold and my home is empty"

Though Skye thrilled at his words, she remained silent.

"Skye, come over. Spend the night with me again. Let me wake with you in my arms"

"Randy, you have no idea how much I would love to do that. But you know we have to be careful. Bo already knows about us and he's bound to tell Matt sooner or later. And that will start a war that I just won't win"

"I don't care what they say or think, I want you with me"

Skye sighed. Getting to her feet she wandered to the window and saw Matt leaving the house.

"I'm not sure you really want that Randy. You had one night with me and you're just on a high from it"

The husky laugh at the other end of the line made her skin tingle all over.

"No, Skye. I know exactly what I want. I want you with me and to heck with what everyone else thinks"

There was silence as Skye watched Matt drive off, knowing exactly where he was heading and why.

"Come to me, baby. Let me take care of you"

Once Matt knew what Bo had discovered, all heck was going to break loose. The two of them would gang up to get her to change her mind about Randolph. However, if she were with him they would have to accept her relationship.

She turned from the window and walked to her closet.

"Okay, Randy" she whispered, locating her overnight bag. "I'm coming to you"

"Don't forget your P.J's," he drawled.

"Yeah right"

Skye was laughing as she hung up.

* * *


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

In the eight weeks that Skye had been with Randolph, her life had changed dramatically.

She had practically moved into his home, had stopped talking to Bo, and had little or no contact with the rest of the Dukes or any of her other friends.

Matt dealt with his sister's new life by throwing himself into his work. He spent long weeks away from Hazzard, working in surrounding counties, and occasionally other cities. To Skye, it seemed as if he would rather be as far from her as possible. The siblings had barely had a decent discussion since Matt discovered who Skye was moving in with. When he did talk to her it was usually ruined by a drawn out lecture on why she shouldn't be seeing Randolph and that her relationship was only going to end in pain. Every time she saw one of the Dukes in town she was reminded that her lover was the father of the woman who had tried to pass her child off as Bo's. Never mind the fact that the man she was with was old enough to be her own father.

It seemed that the Dukes and Matt knew more about what was best for her than she did, and their well-meaning advice riled her. Even though she hadn't talked to Bo since that night at the motel, she was well aware that he was keeping tabs on what she was doing, and his thoughts on her relationship often got back to her through other members of his family. Skye also knew that Bo and Matt had been talking a lot about her situation. If Matt could have sent her away to a prison somewhere he would have done it in a heartbeat, and Bo would have helped him plan it. On a more embarrassing note, Skye had discovered that Bo had indeed told Matt everything about the night he found her and Randolph together. She couldn't recall a more uncomfortable conversation she'd had with Matt than the one that had occurred the night he arrived back at the house to find her packing to leave. One thing that Matt hadn't discussed with her was her knowledge about being adopted. Maybe he didn't know. Or maybe it didn't matter to him. She never thought that her brother would see her any different if he knew the truth about her parentage.

What worried her was the fact that the things people were telling her held a strong ring of truth. And that was why she was so defensive against them.

She had to admit, to herself at least, that her relationship with Randolph was more that a little one sided. Randolph and his wife had been forced to agree to a separation, due to the fact that she had found a gentler soul to love. Skye had thought that this would mean that Randolph would be willing to make their relationship more official. However, she very quickly learned that was not to be the case. She never went anywhere with him. Whenever he was invited to something he would always tell her that it wasn't the kind of thing that a woman would enjoy. Yet, she knew that he always attended these functions with some other woman on his arm. And he didn't just stick to one. She knew of at least three different "dates" he took to various things.

Skye hadn't feeling like a mistress being hidden from the world, but there was little she could do to escape the fact that that was what she had become. As most of their time together was spent in the bedroom, it was obvious that Randolph saw her as nothing more than a warm body to come to at night. She would never reveal how humiliated that made her feel. There was a lot of pride involved to. She had almost wrecked her relationship with her brother to be with this man. She no longer spoke to a man she had once considered her best friend. And she was now alienated from the few other friends she had. She felt used, foolish, hurt and angry. But she would never admit it or let anyone else see it.

* * *

A few days later, Skye finally had a reason to think that her relationship would not only work but also become a more permanent one. She'd been feeling ill for a week or so, and a regular visit to her GP had confirmed that she was six weeks pregnant. As soon as she had been told, she was sure she could feel the tiny life of her child deep inside her. Six weeks along meant that she would have gotten pregnant that first night at the motel with Randolph. She couldn't wait to tell him that out of so much pain had come something so amazing. Now her brother and her friends would have to take her relationship seriously. She was sure that Randolph would be thrilled. This would be the opening she needed to convince him that it was time to split ties with his wife and marry her instead. Her romantic heart was already imaging how he would sweep her into his arms, profess his undying love and propose to her. They would be a family of their own. She would be the best wife and mother. He would never have reason to doubt her or be annoyed at her lack of class. She promised herself that she would not make the same mistakes that his first wife had made. If she had to, she would even learn to get along with Trish. She shuddered at the thought as she entered Randolph's house. A smile stayed on her lips though as she wandered to the bedroom and dressed in her best summer dress. As she mental went through the menu for this evening's dinner she thrilled at the thought of finally belonging to a man who loved her no matter what. She checked her watch and wished Randolph would hurry home. Like a kid at Christmas, she practically skipped to the kitchen to start dinner; sure that tonight would be the start of a whole new beginning.

Only, it didn't quite turn out that way.

* * *

When Randolph arrived home he was certainly pleased with the effort his young lover had gone to. He imagined a night of long, lazy loving as he sipped the wine and ate the excellently cooked ham. As he gazed at her gracefully moving around the room, he thought her look of adoration meant that she was entertaining the same ideas for the night that he was. It had always been this way with her. She was like a piece of candy that he couldn't get enough of. Lately she had been making noises about him not taking her out anywhere, and he had attempted to placate her by telling her that he was worried his reputation may take a hit if he was seen in public with another woman so quickly after his separation. He thought that she had understood his stand on not making their relationship permanent. He just wanted a little fun. The atmosphere she had created for the evening told him that she had accepted things his way and was happy about it.

He was about to be bowled over by the worst news possible.

"You're what?" he exploded when she shared the happy news.

"Pregnant. About six weeks. That means the first night we were back together, we made a baby."

She smiled dreamily at him, oblivious to how red his face was turning with fury.

Randolph jumped from his seat. He was sure this had to be a mistake. There was no way she could be pregnant. He ran a hand through his hair. This could ruin everything! He turned and looked at her. She was still sitting at the table, still smiling like she'd accomplished something wonderful. Maybe in her mind she had. He took in the scene before him. The lavish dinner, the wine, the candles glowing softly, the dress she was wearing. She knew that dress was his favorite, that he could never resist her in that thing. It fit her like a second glove; screaming at him, "Look at me!"

"I know your shocked Randy, but this is perfect"

"For who?" he bellowed

"For us"

"And how do you figure that?"

Skye's smile slipped just enough for Randolph to see that she now wasn't sure of herself.

"This is what I've always wanted, Randy" she said, leaving the table and walking to him. "A man who truly loves me and a baby we created together out of that love"

He took her hands from his chest and squeezed her wrists so tight, she flinched.

"Randy, you're hurting me"

She tried to back away but his grip was vice like.

"Why'd you have to do it?" he asked, putting his face almost in hers. "Why"

As Skye desperately tried to pull her hands away her feet slipped from underneath her. Randolph fell forward with her sudden backward motion. Together they hit the floor.

Though Skye had the wind knocked out of her, she was unhurt, though she was sure Randolph would now come to his senses and be apologetic. She was, again, wrong.

He leaned over her, his face still contorted with anger, his body taunt.

"Why Skye?" he continued to rail.

"I thought you'd be happy" she panicked, trying to get to her feet.

"What on earth would give you that foolish idea?"

As Skye struggled to process the situation, she went on the defensive.

"You gave me the idea, Randy. You told me you didn't care who knew about us, you just wanted me with you"

Still gripping her wrists, Randolph dragged her to her feet and shook her.

"You little fool" he seethed. "I wanted you with me but not a damned baby! You've ruined everything now"

He paused and looked her up and down with near disdain. A sudden thought occurred to him. "You didn't think that I would divorce my wife and marry you, did you?"

Skye flinched. "Of course not" she lied, but the truth was in her eyes, damming her to his mercy.

"You silly little fool" he spat again, pushing her away from him.

Skye had never seen him so angry, but she still believed she could win him over.

"We can make this work" she said, rubbing her wrists. "I know we can"

Randolph shook his head.

"It's too late Skye. You've put me – us – in a position that will just ruin everything"

"Randy" Skye pleaded, desperate now. "I love you. You know that. I'll do anything to make this right for us. Anything"

It appeared that he was going to turn away and ignore her, but at the last moment he turned back and looked at her thoughtfully.

"You do love me, don't you?" He walked to her, putting his hands on her shoulders and stroking gently sown her arms.

"Of course I do. More than anything"

Randolph suddenly smiled down at her, a predatory light now in his eyes as he moved his lips to her jaw. The kisses he placed between her jaw and ear had her hypnotized.

"And you would do anything for me" he whispered.

"Anything" she reiterated, shivering under his sensual assault.

He moved his lips to her ear. She expected words of love, undying devotion, an acceptance of their child.

What she got was a dose of harsh reality.

"Then get rid of it!"


	22. Chapter 22

_***A bit of a short chapter but I have a lot of thoughts going for this story and am trying to hash them out on paper first. Stayed tuned for a major plot twist!***_

ANYTHING FOR YOU

* * *

Daisy knew that it was none of her business and that she should stay out of it; but she was a Duke. And that meant two things. One, she couldn't let curiosity slip her by, and two, family was everything.

So because Bo was in such a sulky state and she was curious as to why, she had to do something to alleviate both problems. At least that's the argument she'd practiced over and over on the way to the Hardy home. She'd decided to confront Skye and find out why her friendship with Bo was all but void. Maybe she could be the sounding board the younger girl needed. After all, if what she had overheard Bo telling Matt was true, and Skye was practically living with Randolph Stevenson, the poor girl definitely needed a wiser woman to tell her a few things. Daisy knew people in the city who talked of Stevenson's affairs as if they were quoting football scores. She didn't want Skye to become another broken heart on the man's path to supposed glory. She could just imagine the glory Stevenson was basking in from his cronies at the Country Club because of the pretty young thing he had at home warming his bed, if not his heart.

Nope, Daisy decided, as she pulled into the drive of the Hardy home, it just wasn't right.

* * *

Two days later Skye was still trying to process what happened between her and Randolph. She couldn't fathom how things had gone so wrong so quick. She had been so sure that a baby would cement their relationship, that she hadn't given a single thought to how Randolph might interpret it. She never dreamed he would think that she was trying to trap him, even though she had thought the baby would encourage him to divorce his wife for her. When she saw the way he reacted to the thought that she'd set the whole thing up, she knew that he was serious about her getting rid of the baby. She'd foolishly fallen into the trap of telling him that she'd do anything for him, and getting rid of their child was what he wanted. This was his condition to continuing their relationship. It was him or their baby. Skye didn't want to have to choose, but she knew what her decision would be. No matter how much she loved Randolph, she couldn't get rid their child. It was a piece of her as well as of him. And it seemed the child would now be a living memory of their love.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock at the front door.

She was surprised when she opened the door and stood face to face with Trish. Her face paled and she immediately fell into her old habit of stuttering.

"Wh-what are you d-doing here, Trish?"

Trish smiled hugely.

"I see I still have the same effect on you Skye. I'm here because I heard a little rumor and I wanted to know the truth. Who better to get the inside story from than someone who just can't lie to save herself?"

Skye's heart started beating so fast she was sure it would fly from her chest at any moment.

"What rumour is that?"

Trish cocked her elegant head to one side. "You know the one I mean. You and my darling father have apparently set up house together."

While Skye tried to feign a look of confusion, Trish continued. "I overheard one of his golf buddies telling someone else that the two of you were hot and heavy"

Skye shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about"

"Oh come on, Skye" Trish fumed, placing her foot firmly inside the door to prevent it being closed in her face. "Everyone knows my father has his women on the side. It just so happens you're his latest strumpet"

"Strumpet?"

"You know, I think it's a down right low thing for you to go crawling back to my father and begging him to take you back. How hard did you have to beg him? How long did you have to spend on your knees before he allowed you the pleasure of his bed again? Was it worth it?"

"STOP IT!" Skye yelled, covering her ears.

In the distance a car approached, but neither woman noticed.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. What Randy and I have…"

"Randy!" Trish screeched. "So it is true? You bitch! All this time you were looking at me like I was the lowest form of dirt because I wanted a life for my baby and myself! The Little Miss Innocent act is just that, isn't it Skye? An act"

Trish laughed with glee.

"Does your darling Bo know that you're sleeping with my father?"

"Yes he does" Skye snapped without thinking.

"What?"

The startled exclamation made both women turn and look towards the front steps.

There, Daisy stood, her face aghast, having just heard everything.


	23. Chapter 23

"How could this have happened? What were you thinking? Who the hell does he think he is anyway! What kind of a man asks a woman to choose him over their unborn child?"

Daisy had been firing questions in rapid succession at Skye since the two of them had arrived at the Duke farm. As Skye sat at the dining table watching Daisy huff pots and pans around and cursing a blue streak about how unmanly Randolph Stevenson was, she realised that she enjoyed being able to talk to the older woman about her troubles. She had spent the better part of three hours talking to Daisy about the state of her relationship, the pregnancy, and how Randolph had almost hit her upon finding out about the baby. She hadn't meant to talk so much, but she discovered that once she opened her mouth it was like a pressure valve being released. The dam had broken and the truth had bubbled to the surface. To say that Daisy was shocked and angry on behalf of the younger woman would have been an understatement. Despite being an intensely private person, Skye had to admit that it felt good to have someone so solidly on her side. She knew without a doubt that nothing would stand in Daisy's way in her efforts to defend her. Not even Randolph and his money. Skye suppressed a little smile as Daisy let loose with three words that she was sure even her cousins had never heard her utter before.

The smile lasted just a few moments before disappearing at the sound of Bo and Luke entering the house.

"Okay, Bo, what did you do to rile Daisy this time" Luke deadpanned as the pair walked through the main door.

Bo's answer was lost in his amazement at seeing Skye sitting at the dinner table, just like old times.

"You will never believe what's happened" Daisy started, oblivious to Skye's pleading look. "Would you believe that Randolph has finally shown his true colours?"

"What do you mean?" Luke asked, while Bo sat beside Skye. He looked at her intently and quietly asked, "What did he do to you?"

Skye laughed softy and shrugged.

Before she could answer, Daisy hit the roof again. "He got her pregnant and then tossed her to the floor. And then he has the cheek to tell her that she has to get rid of the baby if she wants to continue their relationship. Can you believe it?" Daisy fumed.

The continuing conversation between her and Luke was lost on both Skye and Bo, who sat side by side, looking at each other. Finally Bo took Skye's hand, gently brought her to her feet and led her to the spare room where they had had their argument not long ago. Had it been so short a time? Skye couldn't believe how much had happened since then. Not all of it bad, but not all of it as good as she hoped it would be either.

* * *

As Bo closed the door behind her she had an uncomfortable sense of dejavu. She just hoped that this conversation would end on a more positive note.

"What are you going to do?" Bo asked without preamble.

"I'm going to have this baby and be the best mother ever"

Bo nodded his approval, but frowned slightly. "Folks will talk and that will make life difficult for both of you. Have you considered what Randolph will do?"

"I really don't care what he does or says anymore Bo. Daisy has put me in touch with a good lawyer and he says that I have an excellent case in applying for sole custody since Randy has expressed his disinterest in the baby"

Bo's lips twisted. "How bad did he hurt you?"

Skye shrugged, uncomfortable in revealing how her foolish heart had almost cost her so dearly. "A little but nothing I needed to worry about. No bruises or anything like that"

Bo let out a sigh and got up to pace the room. "I have an idea that may help you out" he started. "I don't want you to jump down my throat when I tell you what it is. I want you to think about it and really take stock of where you are right now, and how hard life will be in the future without support."

"Okay" Skye murmured, already worried about what Bo was planning.

"I think we should get married"

Skye blinked.

Bo waited.

"Bo" she began.

"Don't answer right away" he insisted, holding up his hand. "Really think about it. I could help you provide for the baby, you'd have the family support that the courts will be looking for, and your baby would have two parents that would love it the most"

Skye sighed and stood. "I can't let you do that Bo. I'm not a charity case and my baby is not a toy to play with until you decide you're bored and want to move on. Besides, you already went through this with Trish. Why on earth would you willingly tie yourself to another women who is carrying a child that's not yours?"

Bo smiled and walked over to her. Taking her hands in his he said simply, "Because it's you."

Skye shook her head.

"Listen to me," Bo said, tipping her head up to look her in the eyes. "Really listen to me. I have had a lot of time to think over the real reason I was so eager to marry Trish, and the one reason I kept coming up with was the fact that I believed I was going to be a Daddy. I never thought about having a family before, until the idea was pushed onto me. Then I got to like it, and was at the point of desperately wanting to see that baby when the whole dream was ripped away from me. I still want that dream Skye. I could have it with you. We could get married, raise this baby and be happy together. We could even have a baby of our own someday."

Skye had to swallow the tears that had welled in her eyes. His picture of the family he wanted was so close to the one that she had been carrying in her heart for so long, she wondered if he had looked inside her and pulled it out for her to see.

"What happens when you wake up to reality and want to leave?"

Bo smiled. "Why would I leave a woman who swears she will be the best mother around? You know I care for you Skye, if you don't want to share my bed, I will respect that. I'm willing to commit myself to you in order to be a father to this child"

"Oh my gosh" she breathed. "How can I turn that kind of offer down?"

He laughed softly. "You would be silly if you did"

She smiled up at him, tears now flowing down her cheeks. "In that case, I accept"

Collecting her in his arms, Bo twirled her around.

"Yee Hah!" he hooted.

* * *

In the ensuing days, Bo found himself on the verge of laughing every time poor Skye opened her mouth. She had already tried to insist that they should divorce after two years, just in case either of them found someone else. Bo had put a halt to that conversation by telling her simply that he believed marriage was for life. The following day Skye had another troubling thought and this time Bo couldn't help n\but hoot at the way she delicately tried to put it.

"What if you need to relieve your…er. Well, what if you feel the need to have…"

She sighed. Thinking she would almost die from the embarrassment she blurted, "What if you need to have sex?"

Bo tried to keep his lips in a straight line, but couldn't help the laughter that bubbled forth.

"I don't know what kind of men you have been with, apart from dear old Randy, but I don't feel the need to have sex that much"

"Oh" Skye sighed almost disappointed.

"However" Bo quipped, deciding to play with her a little, "I love to make love on a regular basis, especially when there's a warm willing woman next to me"

Skye's eyebrows shot up so high; Bo was surprised they stayed on her face.

"Well then" she huffed. "I see"

He laughed in sheer delight. "Oh no you don't"

He took Skye's face in his palms and whispered, "I would only want to make love to my wife. And that" he concluded with a kiss to her lips, "will be you"

Skye was lost in the look in his eyes as he looked at her. But another thought occurred to her.

"What if…"

"Don't worry" he sighed, moving his hands from her face. She instantly missed the contact. "If you don't want my interest in the bedroom, I won't demand my marital rights"

"Oh, no" Skye said, aghast that he could have such a wrong idea. "I was going to say, what if…"

"Skye" Bo halted her, "look, I know you've been through the wringer with Randy. I had hoped that you wouldn't care about him anymore and that you may come to care for me instead. But I was silly to think that a love affair could die overnight. We'll do things your way and just see what happens okay? I wouldn't want to burden you with my feelings"

With that he walked away, not hearing Skye's anguished, "I was going to say what if I don't please you?"


	24. Chapter 24

The day of the wedding dawned bright and beautiful. Skye awoke to the sound of birds chirping in the Oak tree outside her bedroom window.

As she stretched her rested limbs she thought of the hours ahead. Like any young woman she had spent most of her childhood daydreaming about how her wedding day would be. She'd planned how the dress would look, how the decorations would look, how her groom would smile as she approached him. One thing she had never been able to envision though was who her groom would be. Even through all the years that Skye had wished Bo Duke would notice her, she had never been bold enough to think that the fantasy could go any further.

As she headed for the bathroom, she wondered how on earth she was going to be able to go through with this charade of a marriage. How was she going to be able to live with Bo Duke for the rest of her life and not let him see her true feelings towards him?

She'd already decided that the best way to get through the day would be to just imagine that it was all for real. That Bo really did love her, that he really couldn't wait to start married life with her, and most of all, that he wanted her for his wife because he loved her, not because he wanted to give her baby a daddy.

As she waited for the bath to fill she looked at herself in the mirror. She was about to become Mrs Boregard Duke, a mother, a homemaker, and the best liar in Hazzard County.

* * *

As his future bride pondered a future of hiding her feelings, Bo pondered a much different one. He needed to come up with a way to convince Skye that she could learn to love him as much as he loved her. Convincing her to marry him had been easier than he thought. Of course the fact that she was carrying Randolph's baby had a lot to do with that. Now, however, the real battle was about to begin.

He believed that, given time, he could woo Skye and convince her that he loved her. At least they would have the enforced togetherness of the baby. Bo hoped that maybe time spent together out of necessity would sow the seeds of a lifetime of love.

A noise behind him alerted him to the fact he was no longer in the room alone. In the mirror he saw the reflection of Luke as he approached.

"Just about ready?"

Bo smiled. Typically, Luke had made no comment about the swiftness of his marriage to Skye. He simply stood in the background, the strong silent pillar that tended to hold the family together.

"Yeah, though I'm having trouble with this silly tie"

Luke moved forward and adjusted the bow tie for his younger cousin. As he did so, he looked Bo in the eye, getting a feel for his frame of mind.

"You sure you want to do this?" he asked, stepping back to admire his handiwork.

Bo stuck two fingers behind the knot, loosening it a little. "Never been more sure of anything"

"Does she know that you're crazy in love with her?"

Bo looked at Luke and frowned. "Don't think so. If she did why would she take up with dear old Randy?"

Luke sighed. "Sometimes the heart makes us do silly things. This marriage could be one of them, Bo"

The younger cousin shook his head. "In a perfect world, the baby she's carrying would be mine."

"Don't make her pay for Trish's sins"

"There's no way that I would do that, Luke..."

"Maybe not intentionally, but deep down I know that there's still a part of you that hasn't quite come to terms with what Trish did to you. She took away something that you wanted just when you were learning that you really did want it. I know you think you can make Skye happy and that you'd do anything to accomplish that, but what about her Bo? What happens when she learns the real reason you convinced her to marry you is to be with the woman you love, and not just giving her baby a daddy?"

"Your right Luke. I do love her, and that's why I will ensure that she has the best of everything. And every day we're together, she will know how much she and the baby - our baby - are loved"

Luke pondered his cousin's words a moment. " Maybe some day Skye will see how much you truly love her, and realise how lucky she is"

Bo smiled as he slipped his tuxedo jacket on. "From your lips to Gods ears" he murmured.

* * *

Any one casually observing the exchange of vows between Bo and Skye would have sworn that the two were absolutely in love. The couple were acting as if they truly were meant to be together, despite the fact that they honestly believed that the other had only agreed to the marriage out of necessity.

Bo was saying vows that he whole-heartedly believed in and wanted Skye to soon believe in too. Of course, he had no idea that Skye was reciting vows that she also wished Bo would someday come to believe.

Daisy, Luke and Jesse were the only ones present that actually knew the truth about the rushed wedding, and it was obvious to all three that the couple ere only fooling themselves if they thought that they were keeping their true feelings secret. The only ones who didn't believe that Bo and Skye were absolutely in love were Bo and Skye themselves.

As the preacher turned to Bo and asked him if he was ready to commit to the woman before him, a hush fell over the assembled guests as Bo told Skye, "I love you today, I will love tomorrow, and I will try to be the best husband and friend that you want and deserve. I will do this all the rest of the days of my life, and I vow to you that we will endure, even when times are bleakest. I vow that I will honour you and respect you as an individual and as the woman I love. Today I give you my heart and I offer you a future that will never be boring"

A ripple of laughter went through the audience at the last part, folks in Hazzard knowing Bo all too well. As Bo slipped the ring on Skye's finger she could barely control the tears the seeped from her eyes. For someone who was going with the motions he had really put some thought into his vows. She had decided to do traditional vows, but now she opted to wing it and tell him what was really in her heart. After all, what could it hurt?

As the preacher turned to her and told her to utter her vows, she trembled a little at the thought of being so open in front of so many people. Not to mention the fact that she was about to pour her heart out to the man she'd loved since she could remember.

She hesitated just long enough for Bo to become a little anxious. He wondered if she was now having second thoughts. Had he been a little too honest with his vows? Truth be known, he had simply said what was in his heart. Maybe he had thrown her off and now she had no idea what to do.

He took an anxious look at the audience behind them and noticed a ripple of murmuring going through the first few front rows. Obviously they were thinking that Skye was having second thoughts as well.

He looked back at Skye, his heart in his throat.

The preacher cleared his throat purposefully and looked expectantly at Skye.

"Is there a problem?" he whispered loud enough for only Bo and Skye to hear.

Skye blinked. "Er, no"

"Bo," she started softly, "you're my best friend. You have always been there when I needed you, even when I didn't want your advice, you were patient enough to stay in the background and let me find my way on my own. However, if I ever fell, and there were a few times I did, I always knew that the first person I could always turn to was you. You didn't care if I was right or wrong, you just gave me the shoulder I needed to lean on. You have been my friend, my protector and my greatest ally. So today, I give you a future of love and faith. Love that will grow as faith shows us how right we are together. Faith that will lead us to the quiet place in our hearts where we can truly be one and hear our inner selves talk. Love that will strip away all pretences and boundaries and show us that we are strong enough together to endure anything that life will throw at us. And faith in each other that will stand the test of time. Someday, in the future, I have faith that I will be by your side on the porch as we watch our grandchildren play. And love will remind us of this day, when you and I truly became one"

As Skye finished, she noticed that there was a sheen of tears in Bo's eyes. Folks behind them dabbed at their eyes, each thinking how they would hug their loved ones a little tighter tonight, having been reminded by this young couple what real love was all about.

The preacher finished his part and then announced the new Mr and Mrs Boregard Duke to the attendees.

As Bo looked down into the gleaming eyes of his new wife, the audience whooped with enthusiasm. Blocking out the sound, he lowered his head and took Skye's lips to his, sealing their partnership for life…he hoped.


	25. Chapter 25

_A/N Thanks for all the great reviews. I didn't really like this story at first but have come to really enjoy it since Bo and Skye got together. It's been neat to see their relationship grow and how they fool themselves into thinking they are doing the right thing. I alsways knew I wouldn't leave Skye with Randy, he was just a distraction to get Bo thinking. There is more action to happen in Chapter 26, but for now enjoy the build up to the finale!_

_Thanks for reading....MacSas_

* * *

Chapter 25

It was only a few weeks after the wedding that things turned to disaster.

Bo and Skye had set up a temporary home in the Hardy home while Matt was still away. In the meantime they had been looking at little places on the outskirts of the county to call their own home.

The selection had been varied, but they seemed to have finally agreed on a small three bed roomed cottage, not far from either family home. The last occupants had been an elderly couple who had been convinced by their daughter to relocate closer to her. The house had been shut up for some time and needed a lot of work to make it functional for a family, but both Bo and Skye had fallen in love with it.

The single level cottage had the traditional front porch with chair swing, a white picket fence, a vegetable garden in the back yard next to a huge unused barn, and a flower garden in the front yard that was well tended. Entering the front door bought them right into the homely kitchen, which still boasted a stone fireplace, as well as a mudroom. The back of the kitchen tapered out into a hall, which lead to the three bedrooms as well as bathroom. Off to the right of the kitchen was an arched doorway that lead to the living room, which housed an even larger fireplace. The late afternoon sun would stream through the bay windows on the two main walls.

All in all it was the perfect find for the newly weds.

As Bo was planning the reconstruction of the room they had decided would be the baby's he tended to loose himself in the excitement of the upcoming event. Skye was now showing her pregnancy, though folks in town never uttered a word about the amazing quickness she had seemed to not only get pregnant but also grow!

As Bo was tending to the varnishing of the basinet one afternoon, he caught himself smiling as he glanced at his wedding ring. Who would have ever thought that he would be so happy being tied down? And in the last few weeks he believed he had made progress with Skye as well. At first he had thought that she would ask for separate rooms, however she had surprised him by insisting that they share the same bed like regular married folk. He loved falling asleep with her in his arms and waking to find her sprawled across his chest in the mornings. Pregnancy had been fairly easy on her, the nausea seemed to be leaving and the doctor was more than happy with the baby's growth. Bo had attended all the doctor's visits and also helped Skye read anything and everything on first time parenthood. They had planned the nursery together, shopped for the items together and laughed themselves silly over the assembly of most of the items. The only black cloud on their joy was Trish and her jealousy making it a mission for Skye to keep her composure whenever the two ran into each other in town. Well, Bo thought with a slight frown, that and the fact that he was sure Skye still wasn't convinced of his love for her being real.

He put the brush aside, and as he reached for a new pot of varnish he checked the time on the clock. Skye should have been back from the market by now.

"I wonder what's keeping her" he murmured to himself, opening the pot a stirring it a little. With a last look at the clock, he shrugged and went back to work.

* * *

Skye had seen more than enough of Trish in the last few weeks. The woman never failed to turn her stomach to jelly. She couldn't believe it had only been a few months since Trish had returned to town after trying to fool Bo into marriage with a pregnancy. The effort Trish had put into the scam proved how desperate she had been at the time. Now she was back in the arms of the baby's real daddy and despite her being happy, it seemed she couldn't allow Skye to be the same. And she was happy. So very happy. She loved Bo more each day; more than she thought was possible to love another person. Whenever he talked about the baby –they're child- he had sheer joy in his eyes. He loved to rub her tummy and talk to the child. Anything that she wanted was given to her. She never endured a moment of discomfort as Bo would seemingly anticipate her thoughts and feelings and be there to help out. She couldn't believe how lucky she was. And nights were the best. Though they had yet to make love, she was blissful in his arms at night.

As she prepared to leave the market, a niggle in her back sent a bit of worry through her. She had been feeling a little off colour the last couple of days, but had managed to keep that a secret from Bo, not wanting him to worry. Besides it was probably just a little morning sickness coming back for a last visit. As she rounded the corner to the local coffee shop she welcomed the cool afternoon breeze on her face. After placing her order, she decided to take advantage of the upstairs seating, and chose a window seat to enjoy the breeze.

While sipping her coffee she noticed Trish and Randolph at a nearby table. Her cup froze in midair as she noted they were coming over to her. Oh no, this couldn't be happening, not here. She got up to leave, hoping that she could get to the stairs before the Stevenson's met her.

No such luck. She made it to the small balcony at the top of the stairs before Trish waylaid her.

"How was the wedding?" she asked with mock interest.

"Fine" Skye answered, good manners refusing to let her simply walk away. If only Bo were here, she thought.

"I never would have believed it" a deeper voice noted simply. "Never would have believed that you would leave my bed to warm his"

Skye prepared herself for the onslaught of emotions that she thought she would feel at seeing Randolph for the first time in nearly three months. She was hitting her fifth month of pregnancy, and though she had only been married a month, everyone in town naturally believed Bo to be the daddy. And he is, she fumed to herself.

But as she looked up at Randolph, she was surprised to feel nothing. Not even a slight inkling of what she had once thought was the deepest love possible. Instead it was Bo that her mind and heart were focused on.

"What would you have expected me to do Randy? Wait for you to change your mind?"

Randolph fumed. "There is no way that I would change my mind Skye. We can still be together, despite your silly marriage. You know what you have to do though"

Skye was almost sick. "Wait, you still think I will get rid of my baby and come back to you?'

"Of course" he laughed. "In time you will see that you don't need a baby or a hayseed like Bo Duke. What you need is me"

Skye was floored by his arrogance. She looked at Trish. The woman may be beautiful, but her ego matched her fathers. "And what do you think of that Trish?"

"I really don't care about my father using you to warm his bed. What I do care about is the thought of that spawn your carrying getting it's hands on my inheritance"

Skye sighed. "Neither of you have to worry about that. Bo and I will be raising this child as our own."

"Are you serious?" Trish asked in anger.

"What can he give you that I can't" Randolph fumed.

Skye looked at Trish "Yes, I'm serious."

She then turned to the man who had so fooled her heart. "He can give me the one thing that you can't. Love. And he doesn't have to be a millionaire like you to know what I need. He just knows because he truly knows me. Something you never attempted to do"

In a moment something in her heart shifted. Bo was the one in her thoughts from the moment she woke to the moment she closed her eyes. Looking at Randolph, it was suddenly clear that she had wasted time on him. Now she was doing the same thing to Bo. She was wasting time by not telling him the truth. She needed to tell him how she really felt, so they could be a family for real. She needed to tell him that she wanted to be his wife in every way possible and that she wanted them to have more babies, just so she could see the goofy light in his eyes all over again.

With a toss of her head, she murmured a goodbye to Trish and her Daddy and turned to descend the stairs. She was desperate to get home and see Bo, talk to him.

Tonight would be the start of a whole new, honest life together. She was smiling as she put her foot out to touch the first step. She was still smiling in the instant that another spasm in her back hit her, throwing her a little off balance. Her mind was still focused on her beloved Bo when she tumbled down the short staircase, not hearing the yells from Trish and Randolph or the other diners.

As she lay at the bottom of the stairs, winded, she saw stars before her eyes and knew that something was terribly wrong. The woman that rushed to her side assured her that an ambulance was on its way. Skye put one hand on her belly and willed her child to be ok. She needed it to be ok. So did Bo.

"Bo" she murmured, as her eyes grew hazy with dancing lights.

She was still murmuring his name when she lost consciousness.


	26. Chapter 26

ANYTHING FOR YOU Chapter 26

It was an hour later that Bo started to really worry about Skye's absence. He had started to wonder what could be taking her so long about fifty-nine minutes ago, though he reluctantly had to console himself that Skye was her own person and didn't need to tell him every move she made. Now, as the minutes ticked by and she still hadn't arrived back at the house, he allowed himself to worry. It wasn't like Skye to be this late and not have called him. As he paced the room, his mind tormented him with all the things that could have gone wrong. He imagined her lying somewhere, hurt and asking for him. He imagined her lying in a ditch, not being able to get to help. He imagined her waiting at the side of the road for help due to her car breaking down.

As he paced and worried, he decided that suffering Skye's wrath at him tracking her down was much better than the torture his mind was putting him through by not knowing what had happened.

Decision made, he grabbed his coat and keys and was heading to the front door when the phone rang. Hand on the doorknob, he decided to ignore it. Whoever it was would call back. His instincts were starting to scream his need to get to Skye. As he walked out the door though, a stronger feeling overtook him. Almost like a voice loud and clear in his head was urging him. He walked back inside the house sure he could hear Skye telling him that she needed him. Dazed at the unexpected surge of emotion, he picked up the phone.

"Mr Duke?" came the official sounding voice at the other end.

Bo's heart started to stutter.

"Mr Bo Duke?"

"Yes" he all but whispered.

"Are you the husband of Miss Skye Hardy?"

"Yes" he affirmed a little louder.

"Mr Duke, my name is Donald Patterson. I'm one of the on call surgeons at Tri County Hospital. Mr Duke, your wife was bought here a little earlier after suffering a bad fall. She is okay, but I need you to come to the hospital so I can talk to you about her condition"

"Oh my gosh, she really was asking for me"

"Mr Duke?"

Bo shook his head and stood a little straighter.

"I'll be right there"

"I'm so sorry, sir. We did all we could. By the time she got here it was already too late"

Bo couldn't believe what he was hearing. Just a few minutes ago the surgeon had been reassuring him that Skye was fine. Now the story had changed.

He felt the reassuring presence of his family but couldn't quite rid himself of the chill in his heart.

It was over. It was all over.

Luke placed a hand on his shoulder and murmured his sorrow, but Bo barely heard him. All he heard was Skye's voice in his head, calling him, telling him she needed him. He didn't get there in time.

"What happens now?" Jesse asked the doctor.

"Well, that depends on Mr. Duke. We can take care of the body, unless you have other plans?"

Bo shook his head. "I have no idea what Skye would want to do"

The doctor nodded his head in sympathy.

"Maybe you should talk to someone?"

"No," Bo noted, "The only person I need to speak with is my wife"

"I can't tell you how sorry I am Mr. Duke," the surgeon said.

"Just take me to her please"

The doctor nodded his understanding and swept his arm out in the direction of the main corridor.

"This way"

As Bo followed the doctor, he heard the quiet sobbing from Daisy, but once again felt nothing but the chill in his heart.

The room the doctor led Bo into was dark and quiet.

When he looked over at the bed, he could almost make out a form lying under the covering.

It wasn't until he got closer though that he recognised his wife. She was pale and still. Too still.

He took her hand in his and kissed her forehead, trying to ignore that there seemed to be no warmth in her usually glowing face.

As if in slow motion, her eyelids fluttered, then stilled again.

Bo frowned. "Come on baby," he whispered. "Open your eyes. Let me see those pretty blues"

Another slow flutter had hope skipping in his heart.

"Come on, Skye. Come back to me"

Bo rubbed her hand, trying to infuse warmth into her. Just when he thought he had been imagining the whole thing, her eyelids fluttered again, and finally opened.

As her eyes searched the room, she heard a sob at her side. Looking over she saw the face of her husband and knew that no matter what happened now, she would be okay. Bo was at her side, nothing else mattered.

As she squeezed his hand in relief, she ran he other hand over her stomach to calm her child. Then she froze.

Her stomach was flat. She looked at Bo, the fear clear in her eyes.

"It's okay, honey," he whispered, kissing her hand.

She shook her head.

"Our baby" she rasped.

While Bo felt a thrill at the fact that she'd called the child theirs rather than hers, he concentrated on comfort. Scooping her into his arms, he sat on the bed and hugged her.

"I'm so sorry, darling," he whispered between kisses. "They tried everything they could, but the fall was just too much"

Skye gripped his shirtfront and buried her face in his strong chest.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed.

Bo frowned. "What do you have to be sorry about? It wasn't your fault. Apparently these things happen"

Skye shook her head.

"I had been having these niggling pains in my back and stomach for a while, but thought nothing of them. Maybe if I had of seen the doctor it could have stopped me losing our baby"

Bo sighed. "No I don't think it would have helped at all Skye. The doctor I talked to said that most times it's over before there are any outward signs. So even if you had seen the doctor, it probably would have still been too late."

Skye looked into Bo's eyes. "I saw Randy and Trish"

That took Bo back a bit. "You what?"

"I stopped by a café to have something to drink and they were there. I was leaving when I fell down the stairs"

Bo frowned. "Did they talk to you?"

Skye nodded. "But it wasn't their fault I fell Bo" she added, knowing instinctively where Bo's line of thought would be heading.

At his disbelieving look, she continued. "I'm not defending them. I was already on my way down the stairs when I felt the pain in my back again. It took me by surprise, I lost my footing and fell"

She sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't have gone to the café. I should have just come home and then you would have been there when it happened."

Bo shushed her with a kiss and held her close. In the silence each kept to their own thoughts.

"I called for you" Skye noted simply, shaking Bo out of his own thoughts.

"What?"

"Just before I lost consciousness, I called your name"

Bo smiled to himself. He hadn't been crazy; he really had known Skye was in trouble.

"You know what this means" he teased.

Skye shook her head.

"It means that we are connected."

Skye smiled sadly before putting her head back on his shoulder. Hearing her even breathing, Bo realised she had fallen asleep. He moved so that he was lying beside her on the bed, holding her in his arms.

And he too slept.


	27. Chapter 27

Hi guys. So sorry it has taken so long to get this up. Have been so busy! I was going to make this the last chapter but ran into overtime a little. So the next chapter will be the last one. Thanks for taking the time to read it and thanks for being patient. Hope you like it so far...as always I welcome your feedback.

Sas

* * *

Chapter 27

The ensuing days after the miscarriage had Skye thinking that maybe things weren't going to be okay between her and Bo after all.

Every now and then, she caught him looking rather wistfully at the nursery they had so lovingly put together. She saw him glancing at her with the oddest look on his face, when he believed she wasn't watching him. And though they continued to sleep side by side, he made no attempt to make their marriage a real one. In fact, his affection had become rather downplayed. Before the miscarriage, he would look for any excuse to touch her or kiss her. Now he seemed almost sorry if he accidentally brushed against her.

Maybe he did blame her for the loss of the baby after all. Maybe he was now realising what he had lost. After all, the only reason he proposed was because she could give him what he had already lost with Trish.

Skye spent many sleepless hours thinking about what the future would hold for her and Bo if they stayed together this way. After much soul searching and tears, she decided that the best thing to do would be to leave.

One afternoon, about a week after the miscarriage, Daisy called to say that she had some pies for them. Apparently Daisy dealt with stress by baking, and Luke and Jesse had had enough of the pies. So Bo offered to drop by and collect them. It was perfect timing for Skye. She turned down his offer to accompany him, pleading a headache. After he left the house, she got up and started packing. She knew it was cowardly of her to leave him with just a note, but she couldn't face him. Believing that he thought her at fault for the loss of their baby was bad enough. She couldn't face the look he would give her when she told him she was setting him free of their agreement.

As the tears ran down her face, she sealed her note with a last kiss, placed it on the table where he would see it, then slipped out the door.

* * *

By the time Bo arrived back at the cottage, he had a feeling of despair. The feeling had started when he had first got to the Duke farm and discovered that Luke had gone out. Where to, no one knew. And that was what started a turning in Bo's gut. Luke was the quiet type, but he never wandered off without telling anyone. The fact that he had missed Bo's visit made it all the more unusual. Luke wouldn't miss the chance to catch up with his cousin. The two had always been closer than brothers, and marriage had meant more time apart than together. so it was a little confusing to Bo that his cousin would miss this visit. Adding to his dismay was the fact that skye had been acting a lot stranger since the miscarriage. He knew that there was a difference in the way that men and women mourned the loss of a child, but he had expected that his wife would at least talk to him now and then, maybe even allow him to comfort her. However, she had not only practically stopped talking to him, she had also shut him out emotionally and physically, to the point that whenever he so much as accidentially brushed against her she would react by jumping. It left Bo with no uncertain terms that his wife had no use for his support.

As he pulled up to the front of the cottage he had a sudden fear that something was wrong.

The phrase beat a tattoo in his mind, keeping time with his heartbeat as he made his way into the house. Opening the door to the master bedroom, Bo braced himself for what he now believed was the inevitable. Before him, the room was empty. The furniture was still there, but the room itself was devoid of his wife. The only thing that remained was a fading hint of Skye's perfume, hanging in the air as a reminder to him of what could never be. His hand clenched around the doorknob. The note sitting on the bed seemed to laugh at him. He didn't need to read it to know that his wife had left him.

He slowly backed out of the room and closed the door. One thought came to his mind. He needed to talk to Luke. Luke had lost the love of his life a few years before. He had been in a pit of despair about it, especially since he had discovered right before a bullet killed Shawna, that she had borne his child and that the child had died. He still carried the small photo of a little girl with dark hair and ice blue eyes in his pocket. Shawna had given it to him moments before her death, along with the location of their daughter's gravesite.

Bo knew that the only person who would understand what he was feeling right now would be Luke. With a dejected sigh he went back to his truck to start his search for his cousin.

* * *

Skye knew that it wouldn't be long before Luke tracked her down. And she was right. she had been at the Boars Nest for only a few minutes before she saw the dark haired former Marine walk into the bar. He paused at the door a moment to scan his surroundings, before heading over to her table. Even though he had been out of the service for a number of years, he still carried the commanding presence that gave him the automatic respect of those around him. Skye watched as he made his way through the lunchtime crowd. Without a word, he sat on the chair at the opposite side of the table. For a few minutes, Skye wondered what to say. Luke very rarely started a conversation; he preferred to wait to see what the other person would say first. And when he did start the conversation he chose his words perfectly, in order to get to the point right away. There was no wasted breathe with Luke Duke, and no use in trying to lie to a man who could read a person better than anyone she had ever known. She owed him the truth and that's what she would give him.

"I've left Bo"

Luke nodded once. No emotion flickered in his eyes as he waited for her to continue.

They had been meeting here for the last few weeks after Skye had called Luke in desperation about her marriage. She had planned on asking him for advice, but instead ended up pouring her heart out to him about every feeling she had kept hidden from Bo. Luke knew everything. Every hope, every dream, and every thought that Skye had had regarding her marriage, her baby and most of all, her husband. Luke also knew that the last few weeks had bought Skye to breaking point. Not only had she lost her baby but she was sure she had also lost her husband as well. That first meeting had seen Luke convincing Skye to stay with Bo; subsequent weeks would see Luke quietly listening as Skye told him how she felt like a stranger in her own home. Bo seemed to have switched his affections off and Skye couldn't help but blame herself. Luke sighed inwardly. Sometimes Bo needed to be hit over the head before he understood things. He knew for sure that Bo and Skye loved each other, they just hadn't told each other that. And Luke was sure that if the pair of them just came together and spoke straight, all this would be sorted. However, he was wise enough to know that this was possibly the last thing either Bo or Skye was thinking of doing.

Across the table, Skye was shaking her head, trying to hold back the tears.

"I have to give him up, Luke. I'm sorry"

Luke smiled gently and leaned over to take her hand in both of his.

"You have to do what you feel is right, of course. But don't you think you should tell Bo what's going on before you leave him for good. Listening to your heart may not be such a bad idea right now."

Skye frowned, knowing that Luke made sense, but unsure if she was capable of even putting up the necessary fight.

"I don't know" she sighed. "All I ever wanted was for Bo to love me the way I love him. The baby was the key to getting us on track, but now that it's gone, it seems we have no reason to even try anymore"

As she pulled her hand away to dry her eyes, Luke moved form his seat to sit beside her. He put his arms around her and hugged her as she fought for control.

As he placed a kiss to her forehead, he caught the movement of an angry man out the side of his eye.

Bo was standing a few feet from their table, and his expression told Luke that he had seen enough to jump to the wrong conclusion.


	28. Chapter 28

_Authors Note:_

_Thanks so much to all those that hung in there waiting for this story to get to its end! I hope that I have managed to do Bo justice in the end._

_Please let me know what you think!_

_Thanks again  
_

_MacSas  
_

* * *

**ANYTHING FOR YOU**

**(FINAL CHAPTER)**

Bo knew that he had to do some serious apologizing to Skye. And he needed to do it quick. The problem was in finding the words to tell her. They had been through so much in such a short time maybe they had reached the end of their luck. How much tragedy could two people fit into one relationship before they had to admit defeat? Was it worth the continued struggle? Had he and Skye reached their breaking point?

Thinking back on the short time of their relationship, Bo couldn't help but dwell on the fact that things had been both rushed and done out of a sense if necessity. If they had been able to develop their relationship in a more normal way, would it have worked out any different? Or was it just a case of two friends trying to help each other at the expense of their own personal happiness? Would Bo have even offered marriage to Skye if she hadn't been pregnant? Would Skye have agreed to the marriage if she hadn't felt like she needed to repay Bo for her part in Trish's deception? Maybe he should have butted out and let Skye deal with Randolph on her own, let her learn about life the hard way.

Bo sighed, ran a frustrated hand through his short blonde hair and paced the floor. Thoughts jumbled in his head and none of them were giving him the answers he needed. He couldn't even talk to Luke about his dilemma because he had all but alienated his cousin with his thoughtless accusation. Bo knew that there was no way that Luke would have anything other than family love for Skye. He also knew that Skye would never cheat on the man she had promised her life to. Marriage was sanctity to her. And that may be his one saving grace. Skye would fight for their marriage; her principals would allow nothing less. He had to use that to his advantage. And if he were to have any hope of forgiveness, he needed to face Skye with nothing but the truth. This was something that he had to do. A lifetime of happiness depended on it.

* * *

It had taken most of the night to convince Skye to stay at the farm for the night before making rash decisions about moving on from Hazzard. All she had hoped for had now come crumbling down, and the only way to deal with it was to run away. Luke had finally managed to convince her that running was an old instinct that she needed to deafen, and that facing Bo would give her finality she needed. Whether the outcome be good or bad at least she would have the closure needed to move on with her life. Luke just hoped his cousin and his wife could fight through this latest in what seemed to be an endless string of trials for them. He would never understand human relationships. One of the reasons he had stayed single was due to his inability to relate to another person, especially one that he would be spending the rest of his life with. He was a man that enjoyed his space, craved solitude and needed to be his own person. Nearly a year in a POW camp in Vietnam had born the need to be a lone wolf. He freely acknowledged that the price he paid for that freedom had been, and continued to be, high. It had ultimately cost him the love of his life and knowing his son. Shawna had showed up in Hazzard a while ago and informed him that he had been a Daddy. Shawna had named their son Kieran, Luke's middle name. She had married his best friend who had died in the same POW camp Luke had been mercifully rescued from. What should have been a fairytale ending however, had a more tragic ending when his friend's brother had turned up in Hazzard ... and left with Shawna's blood on his hands. Right before she died, Shawna had given him a photo of their son, and the location of his grave. Luke had made trips to the small site many times since learning of the child. He carried his son's picture in the breast pocket of his shirt. Kieran was always in his heart, just as Shawna would be. Luke had learned to forgive Shawna for the choice that she had made. She chose to marry Kane only because she didn't want to tie down a man that obviously wasn't ready for fatherhood, let alone marriage. He had gone off to 'Nam knowing that Shawna would eventually find someone else. It was while he was in 'Nam that he discovered the solider he had formed such a close friendship with was in fact the man that Shawna had ended up marrying. Luke laughed out loud. What were the odds? Sadly, Kane's brother had been so cut up about his death that he had taken it out on Shawna, ultimately taking her life in the process. Luke had seen the most horrific things during his time in the military, but having Shawna die in his arms was the most soul scaring thing in his life. He couldn't help but compare Bo's situation with Skye to his own. The same mistakes were being made that had been made in the past. He hoped that by opening up and telling Skye about his past he may have encouraged her to take a look at the path she and Bo were traveling. Nothing had been done so far that couldn't be fixed, as long as they both agreed to come together and talk things through. Luke knew they were crazy about each other, they just needed to leave the past behind and move on together, as a united couple.

He sighed as he put his beer bottle in the bin. If only things could be that easy. Though he knew that both Skye and Bo were perfect for each other he also knew that they were the two most stubborn people he knew. Well, maybe apart from Jessie and Daisy.

As he headed to his bedroom he hoped that the morning would bring answers desperately needed.

* * *

Morning came too soon for Skye. She had spent half the night listening to Luke, as calm and as steady as always, telling her the reasons for his scarred soul. The other half of the night had been spent alternating between walking the floor and crying. By the time the red rays of dawn came creeping through the lace curtains, she felt more shattered than she had the moment Bo had looked at her with misplaced anger in his accusing eyes. Now she had to face the new day not knowing if her marriage would still be alive by the time the night folded in.

With a heavy heart she got ready to face the day.

* * *

The brightness of the kitchen at the Duke farm cheerfully hid the misery that was brewing within. The table that had seen the celebratory gathering of 5 generations of Dukes was now hosting a gathering of a much different tone. Bo sat nursing a lukewarm mug of coffee waiting on the appearance of his wife. His wife. How much longer would he be allowed to address Skye as such? Late in the night he had made the decision that he would demand nothing less than full honesty from her today. In return he would give her the same. They needed to start fresh or call it quits. As far as he was concerned there would be no middle ground. It was all or nothing. He swirled the dregs of the coffee around in the mug while he waited for Skye. If only he could see the future as easily as could see the bottom of his mug. Tired of the mulling over that was going on in his head; he put the cup down with a slam and put his head in his hands. To the casual observer he would have painted a picture of absolute dejection. That's exactly what Luke thought as he entered the kitchen. He paused in the doorway for a moment watching his younger cousin. It pained him to know that the carefree, devil-may-care attitude of the man that had nothing in the world to worry about just a few months ago had become encased in a hard shell. Bo had done a lot of growing up since being fooled into thinking he was the father of Trish's baby. He had shown that he had the capacity to stand up for what was right in his dealings with Skye. And he had shown the true heart of a friend when he had forgiven Skye her part in the ruse Trish had tried to pull on him. He had proven that he had what it took to be a good husband; he just needed to be reassured that Skye truly loved him. Luke gave a silent nod to the man that his cousin had grown into. He never would have thought that Bo would be in the position he was now in, but he knew that his cousin would now do the right thing for both himself and for Skye. Even if that meant letting her go.

Bo lifted his head at the sound of his older cousins booted steps across the floor. He watched as Luke stood at the kitchen window, looking out at the new morning across the Duke farm. He knew that both Daisy and Jessie had left the house earlier than usual to give Bo and Skye the privacy they needed. Bo wished they had stayed. If his wife was going to leave him, he wanted the company of his family to buffer the rejection. Bo knew that Luke had been through his own horrors and that they involved a woman from his past having his child in secret. Bo also knew that the child was dead, as was his mother. The events surrounding the tragedy, however, were something that Luke never discussed. To this day, Bo had no idea how his cousin had even survived the POW camp, let alone the rest of the war. All he knew was that the Luke that left for Vietnam and the man that came back were different. Not in huge ways, but in small distinct ways. Bo never asked Luke about his own relationship woes and Luke never offered explanation. As far as Bo knew, even Jessie had no idea of how the mysterious Shawna featured into the picture. The Dukes had visited Kieran's heartbreakingly tiny grave together just once. It had been the saddest family outing they had ever had. As far as Bo knew, the only visitors Kieran got now were his father and his Aunt Daisy. Every time she went, she took a handmade pinwheel to replace the one she'd placed there on her last visit. She once told Bo that she liked to watch the wind spinning the tiny pinwheel and imagine that it was Kieran doing the blowing. Luke never told his family when he visited the grave, he just went. Bo's heart broke for the older man in front of him. Such a lot of life had been dumped on his broad shoulders, yet he continued to live life to the fullest, if not a little wiser about reality.

"I'm sorry", he said softly.

Luke didn't turn. "I know you never meant anything, Bo."

"Now what?" Bo wondered out loud.

Luke turned slowly. "Now you face your wife and make a fresh start. Because if you don't, you will never know her truth and she will never know yours. You'll both be pulled apart by stubborn pride, and worse yet, you'll both live to regret it for the rest of your lives."

He sighed as he walked to the back door, pausing at Bo's chair just long enough to lay a comforting hand on the younger man's shoulder. "A lifetime is an eternity when you have such a huge regret. Believe me, Bo, I know"

* * *

The scent of vanilla alerted Bo to Skye's presence. Only when she was seated did she look at him. She wrung her hands as she gave him a cautious smile. Bo sat opposite her and gently took her hands in his. She was surprised by this and a flicker of suspicion crossed her glance.

"Skye, we have a lot to talk about"

Bo smiled as Skye giggled at the irony of the statement. It was so good to hear her laughter again. The fact that he had missed it so much just gave him all the more courage to carry on. "I want us to be completely open and honest. If we can't do that then I fear that we may never be able to have a real marriage. I also fear what will happen to our friendship" He paused a moment to let Skye digest that. "Can we agree to total honesty?"

She smiled at him, thanking him in her heart for forcing the issue and thus making it easier for her to be open with him. "I agree"

Bo nodded and squeezed her hands. "Shall I go first?"

"No" Skye murmured. "No, I want to tell you a few things first"

Bo nodded his acceptance.

"I love you Bo" Skye blurted out in a rush. Now that it was out she felt relieved. "That was actually easier than I thought. Ok" she paused, sat back and took a deep breath. "Bo my relationship with Randy was only ever a smokescreen. I was trying desperately to cover up my feelings for you. I thought that if I could project what I felt for you onto randy then I could fool you into believing that I really didn't think as much of you as you may have thought I did. Turns out the only person I fooled was me. Even Randy knew that I was head over heels for you. He was a sweetheart, Bo. He tried so hard to get me to see the truth of what I was doing. By the time I realised that I was pregnant it had been long over between us. In fact, the more I think about it the more I realise that it never really started for us. You were always a shadow on any of my relationships. That's what made it so easy for Trish to blackmail me into helping fool you about her carrying your baby. She knew how terrified I was about you finding out about my feelings for you."

"Why, Skye?" Bo asked. "Why were you so afraid I would find out that you loved me?"

Skye laughed. "You're my brother's best friend! How would it have affected your friendship if you didn't feel the same? I would have never been able to look you in the eye again. It would have put a huge hole in my relationship with Matt. Bo, he's all I have. I couldn't let that happen. Not even for you"

"So you turned to Randolph?"

Skye smiled sadly. "I had already known Randy for a while. My relationship with him started while I was away from Hazzard. I had the freedom to stretch my wings, and Randy was a very charming man. It was the first time that I had felt unwatched and I enjoyed that freedom. The first night I slept with him I did so simply because I knew that I could do it without anyone close to me knowing. I started to live this double life that was exciting. It also took me out of my misery about not being able to have you. But my relationship with Randy was just another way for Trish to control me" She sighed. "I am so sorry Bo. So much more sorry than I will ever be able to put into words. The night I came clean about my part in the ruse was like a dam bursting open. I felt relief. I felt free again. I was at the lowest point of my life when I found out I was pregnant. I had been intimidated and scared by Trish, had just begun to realise that you would never be more than a friend to me, and my relationship with Randy was just a facade. I honestly thought he would be the best I could do after Trish beat me and cut my hair." Her hand went unconsciously to the newly grown mane as she recalled the horror of the day Bo had found her curled in a ball in the corner of her bathroom. "And then you offered to marry me. How could I refuse? It was a dream come true. I thought that you would be able to fix everything for me. I didn't realise that my baggage would find a way of drowning us both. I desperately wanted a real marriage with you Bo. But you offered me an arrangement. And part of that included no touching"

"Only if you wanted it to be that way" Bo interrupted.

"I didn't want it to be a hands off thing, Bo! I wanted you to love me. I wanted more than your body beside me in bed at night."

"You never said anything, never even hinted anything"

"I couldn't! I had already played a big enough fool. I had my baby to think of"

Talking of her lost child was a dam that Bo knew had to be opened. After Skye had miscarried, it seemed their marriage suffered the same tragedy. If only he had been able to draw her out into the open after the miscarriage. If only he had been more open with her about his sense of loss. If only...

"I really wanted your baby to be mine Skye" he whispered. "I wanted to know the thrill of holding a new life in my arms. I wanted to be a daddy..."

"You wanted Trish's baby"

"Only because I thought it was mine. But the short time that you were pregnant, I thought of that child as ours. And I couldn't wait for us to make one of our own together. I knew we would be great as parents. And then...you lost the baby. I waited for you to come to me, to tell me you needed me, ask me to hold you or something. But you never did"

"I wanted you to do all those things, but I didn't know how to ask you. I didn't know if I even had the right to ask you. The only reason you married me was because you wanted a baby.."

"Stop!" Bo yelled, getting to his feet. "Stop right there. I married you because I wanted you"

Skye raised her eyebrows.

"I just used your pregnancy as an excuse, Skye. I discovered that I was in love with you that night that you slammed the hotel door in my face and chose Randy over me. I would have loved to have kicked that door down and taken you home with me. But I figured that if I waited long enough, you would see that I was the guy for you. Then Randy ditched you and you needed me to help buffer a scandal. There were other ways I could have helped you, I just made marriage seem like the obvious way because it was the only way I could keep you close to me. I had planned on wooing you through your pregnancy so that by the time the baby was born we would be a happy couple ready to welcome a child into our lives. And then I planned on convincing you that we should start making the next baby. All because I love you, Skye"

Skye looked stunned. Bo looked even more stunned when she fled the room.

He followed her to his bedroom and was surprised to find her lying face down on the bed sobbing her heart out. He sat on the side of the bed and gently took Skye in his arms.

"I didn't want to make you cry. I just wanted to be honest with you.I want this marriage to work. I want to spend forever loving you. But if that's not what you want I am prepared to let you go"

"You are?"

"It would kill me, but I want your happiness more than anything else"

"What if I wanted the same thing as you?"

"Then you would be making me the happiest man on the planet"

Skye snuggle into him and whispered, "I love you Bo Duke and I want to be your wife for the rest of my life. It's the only thing I have ever wanted and the only thing I will ever truly need in this life"

Bo leaned Skye back on the bed, took her precious face in his hands and kissed her tenderly.

"You're kissing me" Skye murmured happily.

"Mmm" Bo nuzzled her neck, stretching out on the bed next to her. "Know what I'm going to do now?"

"What?" Skye whispered.

Bo rubbed his nose along her cheek. "I'm finally going to make love to my wife"

And he did.

**THE END**


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